diff --git a/unpack-trees.c b/unpack-trees.c
index 0bc4b2ddca2d96..07f83642443601 100644
--- a/unpack-trees.c
+++ b/unpack-trees.c
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ static int check_updates(struct unpack_trees_options *o)
 
 		if (ce->ce_flags & CE_WT_REMOVE) {
 			display_progress(progress, ++cnt);
-			if (o->update)
+			if (o->update && !o->dry_run)
 				unlink_entry(ce);
 			continue;
 		}
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ static int check_updates(struct unpack_trees_options *o)
 		if (ce->ce_flags & CE_UPDATE) {
 			display_progress(progress, ++cnt);
 			ce->ce_flags &= ~CE_UPDATE;
-			if (o->update) {
+			if (o->update && !o->dry_run) {
 				errs |= checkout_entry(ce, &state, NULL);
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/unpack-trees.h b/unpack-trees.h
index cd11a08365ab3e..64f02cb03ab242 100644
--- a/unpack-trees.h
+++ b/unpack-trees.h
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ struct unpack_trees_options {
 		     debug_unpack,
 		     skip_sparse_checkout,
 		     gently,
-		     show_all_errors;
+		     show_all_errors,
+		     dry_run;
 	const char *prefix;
 	int cache_bottom;
 	struct dir_struct *dir;