diff --git a/git-fetch.sh b/git-fetch.sh
index 0b1e6d1071..f0645d97c9 100755
--- a/git-fetch.sh
+++ b/git-fetch.sh
@@ -461,6 +461,8 @@ case "$no_tags$tags" in
 	case "$taglist" in
 	'') ;;
 	?*)
+		# do not deepen a shallow tree when following tags
+		shallow_depth=
 		fetch_main "$taglist" ;;
 	esac
 esac