diff --git a/builtin-rm.c b/builtin-rm.c
index e06640cf8d..b7126e3e25 100644
--- a/builtin-rm.c
+++ b/builtin-rm.c
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ static int check_local_mod(unsigned char *head, int index_only)
 		     || hashcmp(ce->sha1, sha1))
 			staged_changes = 1;
 
-		if (local_changes && staged_changes)
+		if (local_changes && staged_changes &&
+		    !(index_only && is_empty_blob_sha1(ce->sha1)))
 			errs = error("'%s' has staged content different "
 				     "from both the file and the HEAD\n"
 				     "(use -f to force removal)", name);
diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index cdbeb48c65..b0edbf9b9f 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -519,6 +519,7 @@ static inline void hashclr(unsigned char *hash)
 {
 	memset(hash, 0, 20);
 }
+extern int is_empty_blob_sha1(const unsigned char *sha1);
 
 int git_mkstemp(char *path, size_t n, const char *template);
 
diff --git a/read-cache.c b/read-cache.c
index fdb41b872e..2c450866ce 100644
--- a/read-cache.c
+++ b/read-cache.c
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ static int ce_modified_check_fs(struct cache_entry *ce, struct stat *st)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int is_empty_blob_sha1(const unsigned char *sha1)
+int is_empty_blob_sha1(const unsigned char *sha1)
 {
 	static const unsigned char empty_blob_sha1[20] = {
 		0xe6,0x9d,0xe2,0x9b,0xb2,0xd1,0xd6,0x43,0x4b,0x8b,
diff --git a/t/t3600-rm.sh b/t/t3600-rm.sh
index 66aca99fd3..5b4d6f7138 100755
--- a/t/t3600-rm.sh
+++ b/t/t3600-rm.sh
@@ -187,6 +187,19 @@ test_expect_success 'but with -f it should work.' '
 	test_must_fail git ls-files --error-unmatch baz
 '
 
+test_expect_failure 'refuse to remove cached empty file with modifications' '
+	touch empty &&
+	git add empty &&
+	echo content >empty &&
+	test_must_fail git rm --cached empty
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'remove intent-to-add file without --force' '
+	echo content >intent-to-add &&
+	git add -N intent-to-add
+	git rm --cached intent-to-add
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'Recursive test setup' '
 	mkdir -p frotz &&
 	echo qfwfq >frotz/nitfol &&