diff --git a/builtin/backfill.c b/builtin/backfill.c
index 5254a42711..e71e0f4742 100644
--- a/builtin/backfill.c
+++ b/builtin/backfill.c
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ static int do_backfill(struct backfill_context *ctx)
 
 	if (ctx->sparse) {
 		CALLOC_ARRAY(info.pl, 1);
+		info.pl_sparse_trees = 1;
 		if (get_sparse_checkout_patterns(info.pl)) {
 			path_walk_info_clear(&info);
 			return error(_("problem loading sparse-checkout"));
diff --git a/path-walk.c b/path-walk.c
index 04b924d4de..225857bbc8 100644
--- a/path-walk.c
+++ b/path-walk.c
@@ -183,7 +183,6 @@ static int add_tree_entries(struct path_walk_context *ctx,
 		/* Skip this object if already seen. */
 		if (o->flags & SEEN)
 			continue;
-		o->flags |= SEEN;
 
 		strbuf_setlen(&path, base_len);
 		strbuf_add(&path, entry.path, entry.pathlen);
@@ -204,7 +203,8 @@ static int add_tree_entries(struct path_walk_context *ctx,
 							  ctx->repo->index);
 
 			if (ctx->info->pl->use_cone_patterns &&
-			    match == NOT_MATCHED)
+			    match == NOT_MATCHED &&
+			    (type == OBJ_BLOB || ctx->info->pl_sparse_trees))
 				continue;
 			else if (!ctx->info->pl->use_cone_patterns &&
 				 type == OBJ_BLOB &&
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ static int add_tree_entries(struct path_walk_context *ctx,
 				continue;
 		}
 
+		o->flags |= SEEN;
 		add_path_to_list(ctx, path.buf, type, &entry.oid,
 				 !(o->flags & UNINTERESTING));
 
diff --git a/path-walk.h b/path-walk.h
index 60ceb65433..7e57ae5f65 100644
--- a/path-walk.h
+++ b/path-walk.h
@@ -76,8 +76,14 @@ struct path_walk_info {
 	 * of the cone. If not in cone mode, then all tree paths will be
 	 * explored but the path_fn will only be called when the path matches
 	 * the sparse-checkout patterns.
+	 *
+	 * When 'pl_sparse_trees' is zero, the sparse patterns only restrict
+	 * blobs and all trees are included in the walk output. This matches
+	 * the behavior of the sparse:oid object filter. When nonzero, trees
+	 * are also pruned by the sparse patterns (as used by backfill).
 	 */
 	struct pattern_list *pl;
+	int pl_sparse_trees;
 };
 
 #define PATH_WALK_INFO_INIT {   \
diff --git a/t/helper/test-path-walk.c b/t/helper/test-path-walk.c
index 88f86ae0dc..3f2b50a9aa 100644
--- a/t/helper/test-path-walk.c
+++ b/t/helper/test-path-walk.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ static int emit_block(const char *path, struct oid_array *oids,
 
 int cmd__path_walk(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
-	int res, stdin_pl = 0;
+	int res, stdin_pl = 0, pl_sparse_trees = -1;
 	struct rev_info revs = REV_INFO_INIT;
 	struct path_walk_info info = PATH_WALK_INFO_INIT;
 	struct path_walk_test_data data = { 0 };
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ int cmd__path_walk(int argc, const char **argv)
 			 N_("toggle aggressive edge walk")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "stdin-pl", &stdin_pl,
 			 N_("read a pattern list over stdin")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "pl-sparse-trees", &pl_sparse_trees,
+			 N_("toggle pruning of trees by sparse patterns")),
 		OPT_PARSE_LIST_OBJECTS_FILTER(&filter_options),
 		OPT_END(),
 	};
@@ -116,6 +118,8 @@ int cmd__path_walk(int argc, const char **argv)
 	if (stdin_pl) {
 		struct strbuf in = STRBUF_INIT;
 		CALLOC_ARRAY(info.pl, 1);
+		info.pl_sparse_trees = (pl_sparse_trees >= 0) ?
+			pl_sparse_trees : 1;
 
 		info.pl->use_cone_patterns = 1;
 
diff --git a/t/t6601-path-walk.sh b/t/t6601-path-walk.sh
index 45f366d738..02ad83dfb0 100755
--- a/t/t6601-path-walk.sh
+++ b/t/t6601-path-walk.sh
@@ -206,6 +206,43 @@ test_expect_success 'base & topic, sparse' '
 	test_cmp_sorted expect out
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'base & topic, sparse, no tree pruning' '
+	cat >patterns <<-EOF &&
+	/*
+	!/*/
+	/left/
+	EOF
+
+	test-tool path-walk --stdin-pl --no-pl-sparse-trees \
+		-- base topic <patterns >out &&
+
+	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+	0:commit::$(git rev-parse topic)
+	0:commit::$(git rev-parse base)
+	0:commit::$(git rev-parse base~1)
+	0:commit::$(git rev-parse base~2)
+	1:tree::$(git rev-parse topic^{tree})
+	1:tree::$(git rev-parse base^{tree})
+	1:tree::$(git rev-parse base~1^{tree})
+	1:tree::$(git rev-parse base~2^{tree})
+	2:blob:a:$(git rev-parse base~2:a)
+	3:tree:a/:$(git rev-parse base:a)
+	4:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base:left)
+	4:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base~2:left)
+	5:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base~2:left/b)
+	5:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base:left/b)
+	6:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
+	6:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~1:right)
+	6:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~2:right)
+	blobs:3
+	commits:4
+	tags:0
+	trees:10
+	EOF
+
+	test_cmp_sorted expect out
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'topic only' '
 	test-tool path-walk -- topic >out &&