diff --git a/tree-diff.c b/tree-diff.c
index 11c3550177..5810b00427 100644
--- a/tree-diff.c
+++ b/tree-diff.c
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ static int compare_tree_entry(struct tree_desc *t1, struct tree_desc *t2,
 
 	pathlen1 = tree_entry_len(&t1->entry);
 	pathlen2 = tree_entry_len(&t2->entry);
+
+	/*
+	 * NOTE files and directories *always* compare differently,
+	 * even when having the same name.
+	 */
 	cmp = base_name_compare(path1, pathlen1, mode1, path2, pathlen2, mode2);
 	if (cmp < 0) {
 		show_entry(opt, "-", t1, base);
@@ -35,16 +40,6 @@ static int compare_tree_entry(struct tree_desc *t1, struct tree_desc *t2,
 	if (!DIFF_OPT_TST(opt, FIND_COPIES_HARDER) && !hashcmp(sha1, sha2) && mode1 == mode2)
 		return 0;
 
-	/*
-	 * If the filemode has changed to/from a directory from/to a regular
-	 * file, we need to consider it a remove and an add.
-	 */
-	if (S_ISDIR(mode1) != S_ISDIR(mode2)) {
-		show_entry(opt, "-", t1, base);
-		show_entry(opt, "+", t2, base);
-		return 0;
-	}
-
 	strbuf_add(base, path1, pathlen1);
 	if (DIFF_OPT_TST(opt, RECURSIVE) && S_ISDIR(mode1)) {
 		if (DIFF_OPT_TST(opt, TREE_IN_RECURSIVE)) {