diff --git a/diff-lib.c b/diff-lib.c
index 7eb66a417a..2edea41a23 100644
--- a/diff-lib.c
+++ b/diff-lib.c
@@ -466,6 +466,11 @@ static void do_oneway_diff(struct unpack_trees_options *o,
 	 * Something removed from the tree?
 	 */
 	if (!idx) {
+		if (S_ISSPARSEDIR(tree->ce_mode)) {
+			diff_tree_oid(&tree->oid, NULL, tree->name, &revs->diffopt);
+			return;
+		}
+
 		diff_index_show_file(revs, "-", tree, &tree->oid, 1,
 				     tree->ce_mode, 0);
 		return;