diff --git a/builtin/mv.c b/builtin/mv.c
index cf3684d907..8ce6a2ddd4 100644
--- a/builtin/mv.c
+++ b/builtin/mv.c
@@ -286,8 +286,7 @@ int cmd_mv(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 		pos = cache_name_pos(src, strlen(src));
 		assert(pos >= 0);
-		if (!show_only)
-			rename_cache_entry_at(pos, dst);
+		rename_cache_entry_at(pos, dst);
 	}
 
 	if (gitmodules_modified)
diff --git a/t/t7001-mv.sh b/t/t7001-mv.sh
index 6e5031f56f..d4e6485a26 100755
--- a/t/t7001-mv.sh
+++ b/t/t7001-mv.sh
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ test_expect_success \
     'git diff-tree -r -M --name-status  HEAD^ HEAD | \
     grep "^R100..*path1/COPYING..*path0/COPYING"'
 
+test_expect_success \
+    'mv --dry-run does not move file' \
+    'git mv -n path0/COPYING MOVED &&
+     test -f path0/COPYING &&
+     test ! -f MOVED'
+
 test_expect_success \
     'checking -k on non-existing file' \
     'git mv -k idontexist path0'