diff --git a/read-cache.c b/read-cache.c
index bd45dc3e24d7dc..9ca0a78dcf57ee 100644
--- a/read-cache.c
+++ b/read-cache.c
@@ -1496,6 +1496,7 @@ int refresh_index(struct index_state *istate, unsigned int flags,
 	typechange_fmt = (in_porcelain ? "T\t%s\n" : "%s needs update\n");
 	added_fmt = (in_porcelain ? "A\t%s\n" : "%s needs update\n");
 	unmerged_fmt = (in_porcelain ? "U\t%s\n" : "%s: needs merge\n");
+	enable_fscache(1);
 	/*
 	 * Use the multi-threaded preload_index() to refresh most of the
 	 * cache entries quickly then in the single threaded loop below,
@@ -1573,6 +1574,7 @@ int refresh_index(struct index_state *istate, unsigned int flags,
 		stop_progress(&progress);
 	}
 	trace_performance_leave("refresh index");
+	enable_fscache(0);
 	return has_errors;
 }