diff --git a/diff-lib.c b/diff-lib.c
index e533b436af..a834e5bad6 100644
--- a/diff-lib.c
+++ b/diff-lib.c
@@ -38,7 +38,13 @@
  */
 static int check_removed(const struct cache_entry *ce, struct stat *st)
 {
-	if (lstat(ce->name, st) < 0) {
+	int stat_err;
+
+	if (!(ce->ce_flags & CE_FSMONITOR_VALID))
+		stat_err = lstat(ce->name, st);
+	else
+		stat_err = fake_lstat(ce, st);
+	if (stat_err < 0) {
 		if (!is_missing_file_error(errno))
 			return -1;
 		return 1;