diff --git a/builtin/rm.c b/builtin/rm.c
index 58ed924f0d..b6ba859fe4 100644
--- a/builtin/rm.c
+++ b/builtin/rm.c
@@ -287,6 +287,8 @@ int cmd_rm(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (!index_only)
 		setup_work_tree();
 
+	prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
+	the_repository->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
 	hold_locked_index(&lock_file, LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR);
 
 	if (read_cache() < 0)
diff --git a/t/perf/p2000-sparse-operations.sh b/t/perf/p2000-sparse-operations.sh
index c181110a43..fce8151d41 100755
--- a/t/perf/p2000-sparse-operations.sh
+++ b/t/perf/p2000-sparse-operations.sh
@@ -123,5 +123,6 @@ test_perf_on_all git blame $SPARSE_CONE/f3/a
 test_perf_on_all git read-tree -mu HEAD
 test_perf_on_all git checkout-index -f --all
 test_perf_on_all git update-index --add --remove $SPARSE_CONE/a
+test_perf_on_all "git rm -f $SPARSE_CONE/a && git checkout HEAD -- $SPARSE_CONE/a"
 
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t1092-sparse-checkout-compatibility.sh b/t/t1092-sparse-checkout-compatibility.sh
index 85247bb15f..a6a14c8a21 100755
--- a/t/t1092-sparse-checkout-compatibility.sh
+++ b/t/t1092-sparse-checkout-compatibility.sh
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ test_expect_success 'read-tree --prefix' '
 	test_all_match git read-tree --prefix=deep/deeper1/deepest -u deepest &&
 	test_all_match git status --porcelain=v2 &&
 
-	test_all_match git rm -rf --sparse folder1/ &&
+	run_on_all git rm -rf --sparse folder1/ &&
 	test_all_match git read-tree --prefix=folder1/ -u update-folder1 &&
 	test_all_match git status --porcelain=v2 &&
 
@@ -1899,7 +1899,7 @@ test_expect_success 'rm pathspec inside sparse definition' '
 	test_all_match git status --porcelain=v2
 '
 
-test_expect_failure 'rm pathspec outside sparse definition' '
+test_expect_success 'rm pathspec outside sparse definition' '
 	init_repos &&
 
 	for file in folder1/a folder1/0/1
@@ -1939,7 +1939,7 @@ test_expect_failure 'rm pathspec outside sparse definition' '
 	test_sparse_match git status --porcelain=v2
 '
 
-test_expect_failure 'rm pathspec expands index when necessary' '
+test_expect_success 'rm pathspec expands index when necessary' '
 	init_repos &&
 
 	# in-cone pathspec (do not expand)
@@ -1958,4 +1958,18 @@ test_expect_failure 'rm pathspec expands index when necessary' '
 	test_must_be_empty sparse-index-err
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'sparse index is not expanded: rm' '
+	init_repos &&
+
+	ensure_not_expanded rm deep/a &&
+
+	# test in-cone wildcard
+	git -C sparse-index reset --hard &&
+	ensure_not_expanded rm deep/* &&
+
+	# test recursive rm
+	git -C sparse-index reset --hard &&
+	ensure_not_expanded rm -r deep
+'
+
 test_done