diff --git a/t/t1006-cat-file.sh b/t/t1006-cat-file.sh
index 658628375c..fc9191c1b9 100755
--- a/t/t1006-cat-file.sh
+++ b/t/t1006-cat-file.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,100 @@ test_description='git cat-file'
 
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
+test_cmdmode_usage () {
+	test_expect_code 129 "$@" 2>err &&
+	grep "^error:.*is incompatible with" err
+}
+
+for switches in \
+	'-e -p' \
+	'-p -t' \
+	'-t -s' \
+	'-s --textconv' \
+	'--textconv --filters'
+do
+	test_expect_success "usage: cmdmode $switches" '
+		test_cmdmode_usage git cat-file $switches
+	'
+done
+
+test_incompatible_usage () {
+	test_expect_code 129 "$@" 2>err &&
+	grep -E "^error:.**needs" err
+}
+
+for opt in --batch --batch-check
+do
+	test_expect_success "usage: incompatible options: --path with $opt" '
+		test_incompatible_usage git cat-file --path=foo $opt
+	'
+done
+
+short_modes="-e -p -t -s"
+cw_modes="--textconv --filters"
+
+for opt in $cw_modes
+do
+	test_expect_success "usage: $opt requires another option" '
+		test_expect_code 129 git cat-file $opt
+	'
+
+	test_expect_failure "usage: incompatible options: --batch-all-objects with $opt" '
+		test_incompatible_usage git cat-file --batch-all-objects $opt
+	'
+done
+
+for opt in $short_modes
+do
+	test_expect_success "usage: $opt requires another option" '
+		test_expect_code 129 git cat-file $opt
+	'
+
+	for opt2 in --batch \
+		--batch-check \
+		--follow-symlinks
+	do
+		test_expect_failure "usage: incompatible options: $opt and $opt2" '
+			test_incompatible_usage git cat-file $opt $opt2
+		'
+	done
+
+	opt2="--path=foo HEAD:some-path.txt"
+	test_expect_success "usage: incompatible options: $opt and $opt2" '
+		test_incompatible_usage git cat-file $opt $opt2
+	'
+done
+
+for opt in $short_modes $cw_modes
+do
+	args="one two three"
+	test_expect_success "usage: too many arguments: $opt $args" '
+		test_expect_code 129 git cat-file $opt $args
+	'
+
+	for opt2 in --buffer --follow-symlinks
+	do
+		test_expect_success "usage: incompatible arguments: $opt with batch option $opt2" '
+			test_expect_code 129 git cat-file $opt $opt2
+		'
+	done
+done
+
+for opt in --buffer \
+	--follow-symlinks \
+	--batch-all-objects
+do
+	status=success
+	if test $opt = "--buffer"
+	then
+		status=failure
+	fi
+	test_expect_$status "usage: bad option combination: $opt without batch mode" '
+		test_expect_code 129 git cat-file $opt &&
+		test_expect_code 129 git cat-file $opt commit HEAD
+	'
+done
+
 echo_without_newline () {
     printf '%s' "$*"
 }