diff --git a/builtin/add.c b/builtin/add.c
index 76d5ad1f5da190..9a10501558ac79 100644
--- a/builtin/add.c
+++ b/builtin/add.c
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ static int chmod_pathspec(struct pathspec *pathspec, char flip, int show_only)
 		int err;
 
 		if (!include_sparse &&
+		    !core_virtualfilesystem &&
 		    (ce_skip_worktree(ce) ||
 		     !path_in_sparse_checkout(ce->name, &the_index)))
 			continue;
@@ -97,7 +98,8 @@ static void update_callback(struct diff_queue_struct *q,
 		struct diff_filepair *p = q->queue[i];
 		const char *path = p->one->path;
 
-		if (!include_sparse && !path_in_sparse_checkout(path, &the_index))
+		if (!include_sparse && !core_virtualfilesystem &&
+		    !path_in_sparse_checkout(path, &the_index))
 			continue;
 
 		switch (fix_unmerged_status(p, data)) {
@@ -215,8 +217,9 @@ static int refresh(int verbose, const struct pathspec *pathspec)
 		if (!seen[i]) {
 			const char *path = pathspec->items[i].original;
 
-			if (matches_skip_worktree(pathspec, i, &skip_worktree_seen) ||
-			    !path_in_sparse_checkout(path, &the_index)) {
+			if (!core_virtualfilesystem &&
+			    (matches_skip_worktree(pathspec, i, &skip_worktree_seen) ||
+			     !path_in_sparse_checkout(path, &the_index))) {
 				string_list_append(&only_match_skip_worktree,
 						   pathspec->items[i].original);
 			} else {
@@ -226,7 +229,11 @@ static int refresh(int verbose, const struct pathspec *pathspec)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (only_match_skip_worktree.nr) {
+	/*
+	 * When using a virtual filesystem, we might re-add a path
+	 * that is currently virtual and we want that to succeed.
+	 */
+	if (!core_virtualfilesystem && only_match_skip_worktree.nr) {
 		advise_on_updating_sparse_paths(&only_match_skip_worktree);
 		ret = 1;
 	}
@@ -644,7 +651,11 @@ int cmd_add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			if (seen[i])
 				continue;
 
-			if (!include_sparse &&
+			/*
+			 * When using a virtual filesystem, we might re-add a path
+			 * that is currently virtual and we want that to succeed.
+			 */
+			if (!include_sparse && !core_virtualfilesystem &&
 			    matches_skip_worktree(&pathspec, i, &skip_worktree_seen)) {
 				string_list_append(&only_match_skip_worktree,
 						   pathspec.items[i].original);
@@ -668,7 +679,6 @@ int cmd_add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			}
 		}
 
-
 		if (only_match_skip_worktree.nr) {
 			advise_on_updating_sparse_paths(&only_match_skip_worktree);
 			exit_status = 1;
diff --git a/builtin/rm.c b/builtin/rm.c
index b6ba859fe42571..bbf219baf0a7e0 100644
--- a/builtin/rm.c
+++ b/builtin/rm.c
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ int cmd_rm(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	for (i = 0; i < active_nr; i++) {
 		const struct cache_entry *ce = active_cache[i];
 
-		if (!include_sparse &&
+		if (!include_sparse && !core_virtualfilesystem &&
 		    (ce_skip_worktree(ce) ||
 		     !path_in_sparse_checkout(ce->name, &the_index)))
 			continue;
@@ -341,7 +341,11 @@ int cmd_rm(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 				    *original ? original : ".");
 		}
 
-		if (only_match_skip_worktree.nr) {
+		/*
+		 * When using a virtual filesystem, we might re-add a path
+		 * that is currently virtual and we want that to succeed.
+		 */
+		if (!core_virtualfilesystem && only_match_skip_worktree.nr) {
 			advise_on_updating_sparse_paths(&only_match_skip_worktree);
 			ret = 1;
 		}