diff --git a/builtin/worktree.c b/builtin/worktree.c
index d6bc5263f1..24f22800f3 100644
--- a/builtin/worktree.c
+++ b/builtin/worktree.c
@@ -234,14 +234,7 @@ static void validate_worktree_add(const char *path, const struct add_opts *opts)
 		die(_("'%s' already exists"), path);
 
 	worktrees = get_worktrees(0);
-	/*
-	 * find_worktree()'s suffix matching may undesirably find the main
-	 * rather than a linked worktree (for instance, when the basenames
-	 * of the main worktree and the one being created are the same).
-	 * We're only interested in linked worktrees, so skip the main
-	 * worktree with +1.
-	 */
-	wt = find_worktree(worktrees + 1, NULL, path);
+	wt = find_worktree_by_path(worktrees, path);
 	if (!wt)
 		goto done;
 
diff --git a/t/t2400-worktree-add.sh b/t/t2400-worktree-add.sh
index b5ece19460..5a7495474a 100755
--- a/t/t2400-worktree-add.sh
+++ b/t/t2400-worktree-add.sh
@@ -570,6 +570,15 @@ test_expect_success '"add" an existing locked but missing worktree' '
 	git worktree add --force --force --detach gnoo
 '
 
+test_expect_success '"add" not tripped up by magic worktree matching"' '
+	# if worktree "sub1/bar" exists, "git worktree add bar" in distinct
+	# directory `sub2` should not mistakenly complain that `bar` is an
+	# already-registered worktree
+	mkdir sub1 sub2 &&
+	git -C sub1 --git-dir=../.git worktree add --detach bozo &&
+	git -C sub2 --git-dir=../.git worktree add --detach bozo
+'
+
 test_expect_success FUNNYNAMES 'sanitize generated worktree name' '
 	git worktree add --detach ".  weird*..?.lock.lock" &&
 	test -d .git/worktrees/---weird-.-