diff --git a/builtin/fsck.c b/builtin/fsck.c
index 29342998fd..ee937bbdbc 100644
--- a/builtin/fsck.c
+++ b/builtin/fsck.c
@@ -434,6 +434,14 @@ static int fsck_handle_ref(const char *refname, const struct object_id *oid,
 
 	obj = parse_object(oid);
 	if (!obj) {
+		if (is_promisor_object(oid)) {
+			/*
+			 * Increment default_refs anyway, because this is a
+			 * valid ref.
+			 */
+			 default_refs++;
+			 return 0;
+		}
 		error("%s: invalid sha1 pointer %s", refname, oid_to_hex(oid));
 		errors_found |= ERROR_REACHABLE;
 		/* We'll continue with the rest despite the error.. */
diff --git a/t/t0410-partial-clone.sh b/t/t0410-partial-clone.sh
index 3ddb3b98fe..bf75162c16 100755
--- a/t/t0410-partial-clone.sh
+++ b/t/t0410-partial-clone.sh
@@ -13,6 +13,14 @@ pack_as_from_promisor () {
 	>repo/.git/objects/pack/pack-$HASH.promisor
 }
 
+promise_and_delete () {
+	HASH=$(git -C repo rev-parse "$1") &&
+	git -C repo tag -a -m message my_annotated_tag "$HASH" &&
+	git -C repo rev-parse my_annotated_tag | pack_as_from_promisor &&
+	git -C repo tag -d my_annotated_tag &&
+	delete_object repo "$HASH"
+}
+
 test_expect_success 'missing reflog object, but promised by a commit, passes fsck' '
 	test_create_repo repo &&
 	test_commit -C repo my_commit &&
@@ -78,4 +86,20 @@ test_expect_success 'missing reflog object alone fails fsck, even with extension
 	test_must_fail git -C repo fsck
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'missing ref object, but promised, passes fsck' '
+	rm -rf repo &&
+	test_create_repo repo &&
+	test_commit -C repo my_commit &&
+
+	A=$(git -C repo commit-tree -m a HEAD^{tree}) &&
+
+	# Reference $A only from ref
+	git -C repo branch my_branch "$A" &&
+	promise_and_delete "$A" &&
+
+	git -C repo config core.repositoryformatversion 1 &&
+	git -C repo config extensions.partialclone "arbitrary string" &&
+	git -C repo fsck
+'
+
 test_done