diff --git a/builtin/show-ref.c b/builtin/show-ref.c
index 36ac10551d..6685495dd2 100644
--- a/builtin/show-ref.c
+++ b/builtin/show-ref.c
@@ -275,6 +275,10 @@ int cmd_show_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, show_ref_options,
 			     show_ref_usage, 0);
 
+	if ((!!exclude_existing_opts.enabled + !!verify) > 1)
+		die(_("only one of '%s' or '%s' can be given"),
+		    "--exclude-existing", "--verify");
+
 	if (exclude_existing_opts.enabled)
 		return cmd_show_ref__exclude_existing(&exclude_existing_opts);
 	else if (verify)
diff --git a/t/t1403-show-ref.sh b/t/t1403-show-ref.sh
index 9252a581ab..f1e0388324 100755
--- a/t/t1403-show-ref.sh
+++ b/t/t1403-show-ref.sh
@@ -196,4 +196,13 @@ test_expect_success 'show-ref --verify with dangling ref' '
 	)
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'show-ref sub-modes are mutually exclusive' '
+	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+	fatal: only one of ${SQ}--exclude-existing${SQ} or ${SQ}--verify${SQ} can be given
+	EOF
+
+	test_must_fail git show-ref --verify --exclude-existing 2>err &&
+	test_cmp expect err
+'
+
 test_done