diff --git a/builtin/fast-export.c b/builtin/fast-export.c
index a7d72697fb..1355b5a96d 100644
--- a/builtin/fast-export.c
+++ b/builtin/fast-export.c
@@ -1261,6 +1261,7 @@ int cmd_fast_export(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	revs.diffopt.format_callback = show_filemodify;
 	revs.diffopt.format_callback_data = &paths_of_changed_objects;
 	revs.diffopt.flags.recursive = 1;
+	revs.diffopt.no_free = 1;
 	while ((commit = get_revision(&revs)))
 		handle_commit(commit, &revs, &paths_of_changed_objects);
 
diff --git a/t/t9350-fast-export.sh b/t/t9350-fast-export.sh
index 7b7a18dd2c..fc99703fc5 100755
--- a/t/t9350-fast-export.sh
+++ b/t/t9350-fast-export.sh
@@ -500,6 +500,13 @@ test_expect_success 'path limiting with import-marks does not lose unmodified fi
 	grep file0 actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'path limiting works' '
+	git fast-export simple -- file >actual &&
+	sed -ne "s/^M .* //p" <actual | sort -u >actual.files &&
+	echo file >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual.files
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'avoid corrupt stream with non-existent mark' '
 	test_create_repo avoid_non_existent_mark &&
 	(