diff --git a/merge-recursive.c b/merge-recursive.c
index a514bc6f17b22f..7e931287acd23b 100644
--- a/merge-recursive.c
+++ b/merge-recursive.c
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ static int was_dirty(struct merge_options *opt, const char *path)
 
 	ce = index_file_exists(opt->priv->unpack_opts.src_index,
 			       path, strlen(path), ignore_case);
-	return verify_uptodate(ce, &opt->priv->unpack_opts) != 0;
+	return !ce || verify_uptodate(ce, &opt->priv->unpack_opts) != 0;
 }
 
 static int make_room_for_path(struct merge_options *opt, const char *path)