diff --git a/root/crawler.cpp b/root/crawler.cpp
index a2060648adc4..df8416551553 100644
--- a/root/crawler.cpp
+++ b/root/crawler.cpp
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ void InMemoryView::crawler(
         logf(DBG, "in crawler calling process_path on {}\n", full_path);
 
         int newFlags = 0;
-        if (recursive || !(file && file->exists)) {
+        if (recursive || !file || !file->exists) {
           newFlags |= W_PENDING_RECURSIVE;
         }
 
diff --git a/tests/PendingCollectionTest.cpp b/tests/PendingCollectionTest.cpp
index 831c3fefe1fa..2e595461411d 100644
--- a/tests/PendingCollectionTest.cpp
+++ b/tests/PendingCollectionTest.cpp
@@ -137,6 +137,15 @@ class NaivePendingCollection {
       const w_string& path,
       std::chrono::system_clock::time_point now,
       int flags) {
+    for (std::shared_ptr<watchman_pending_fs> p = head_; p; p = p->next) {
+      if (w_string_startswith(path, p->path) &&
+          watchman::is_path_prefix(path, p->path)) {
+        if (p->flags & W_PENDING_RECURSIVE) {
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     for (std::shared_ptr<watchman_pending_fs> p = head_; p; p = p->next) {
       if (p->path == path) {
         // consolidateItem
@@ -185,7 +194,7 @@ class NaivePendingCollection {
   std::shared_ptr<watchman_pending_fs> head_;
 };
 
-using PCTypes = ::testing::Types<NaivePendingCollection, PendingChanges>;
+using PCTypes = ::testing::Types<PendingChanges, NaivePendingCollection>;
 
 } // namespace
 
@@ -236,9 +245,36 @@ TYPED_TEST(PendingCollectionFixture, same_item_consolidates) {
 }
 
 TYPED_TEST(PendingCollectionFixture, prune_obsoleted_children) {
-  int flags = 0;
-  this->coll.add(w_string{"foo/bar"}, this->now, flags);
+  this->coll.add(w_string{"foo/bar"}, this->now, 0);
+  this->coll.add(w_string{"foo"}, this->now, W_PENDING_RECURSIVE);
+
+  auto item = this->coll.stealItems();
+  ASSERT_NE(nullptr, item);
+  EXPECT_EQ(nullptr, item->next);
+  EXPECT_EQ(w_string{"foo"}, item->path);
+  EXPECT_EQ(W_PENDING_RECURSIVE, item->flags);
+}
+
+TYPED_TEST(
+    PendingCollectionFixture,
+    recursive_parents_prevent_children_from_being_added) {
+  this->coll.add(w_string{"foo"}, this->now, W_PENDING_RECURSIVE);
+  this->coll.add(w_string{"foo/bar"}, this->now, 0);
+
+  auto item = this->coll.stealItems();
+  ASSERT_NE(nullptr, item);
+  EXPECT_EQ(nullptr, item->next);
+  EXPECT_EQ(w_string{"foo"}, item->path);
+  EXPECT_EQ(W_PENDING_RECURSIVE, item->flags);
+}
+
+TYPED_TEST(
+    PendingCollectionFixture,
+    mixed_addition_is_cleared_by_recursive_parents) {
+  this->coll.add(w_string{"foo/bar"}, this->now, 0);
+  this->coll.add(w_string{"foo/bar/baz"}, this->now, 0);
   this->coll.add(w_string{"foo"}, this->now, W_PENDING_RECURSIVE);
+  this->coll.add(w_string{"foo/bar/baz/qux"}, this->now, 0);
 
   auto item = this->coll.stealItems();
   ASSERT_NE(nullptr, item);