diff --git a/autoload/airline/extensions/hunks.vim b/autoload/airline/extensions/hunks.vim
index 310d7597..9b2dd5ae 100644
--- a/autoload/airline/extensions/hunks.vim
+++ b/autoload/airline/extensions/hunks.vim
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ function! s:get_hunks_empty()
   return ''
 endfunction
 
-function! s:get_hunks()
+function! airline#extensions#hunks#get_raw_hunks()
   if !exists('b:source_func') || get(b:, 'source_func', '') is# 's:get_hunks_empty'
     if get(g:, 'loaded_signify') && sy#buffer_is_active()
       let b:source_func = 's:get_hunks_signify'
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ function! airline#extensions#hunks#get_hunks()
     \ get(b:, 'source_func', '') isnot# 's:get_hunks_changes'
     return b:airline_hunks
   endif
-  let hunks = s:get_hunks()
+  let hunks = airline#extensions#hunks#get_raw_hunks()
   let string = ''
   let winwidth = get(airline#parts#get('hunks'), 'minwidth', 100)
   if !empty(hunks)
diff --git a/doc/airline.txt b/doc/airline.txt
index 8a45fc2e..0e697b20 100644
--- a/doc/airline.txt
+++ b/doc/airline.txt
@@ -632,6 +632,10 @@ vim-signify <https://github.com/mhinz/vim-signify>
 changesPlugin <https://github.com/chrisbra/changesPlugin>
 quickfixsigns <https://github.com/tomtom/quickfixsigns_vim>
 
+You can use `airline#extensions#hunks#get_raw_hunks()` to get the full hunks,
+without shortening. This allows for advanced customization, or a quick way of
+querying how many changes you got. It will return something like '+4 ~2 -1'.
+
 * enable/disable showing a summary of changed hunks under source control. >
   let g:airline#extensions#hunks#enabled = 1
 <