diff --git a/add-patch.c b/add-patch.c
index a6bd150de5..a659653286 100644
--- a/add-patch.c
+++ b/add-patch.c
@@ -419,7 +419,8 @@ static int parse_diff(struct add_p_state *s, const struct pathspec *ps)
 	}
 	color_arg_index = args.nr;
 	/* Use `--no-color` explicitly, just in case `diff.color = always`. */
-	strvec_pushl(&args, "--no-color", "-p", "--", NULL);
+	strvec_pushl(&args, "--no-color", "--ignore-submodules=dirty", "-p",
+		     "--", NULL);
 	for (i = 0; i < ps->nr; i++)
 		strvec_push(&args, ps->items[i].original);
 
diff --git a/t/t3701-add-interactive.sh b/t/t3701-add-interactive.sh
index 447fc3380a..b6b309414e 100755
--- a/t/t3701-add-interactive.sh
+++ b/t/t3701-add-interactive.sh
@@ -942,6 +942,18 @@ test_expect_success 'status ignores dirty submodules (except HEAD)' '
 	! grep dirty-otherwise output
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'handle submodules' '
+	echo 123 >>for-submodules/dirty-otherwise/initial.t &&
+
+	force_color git -C for-submodules add -p dirty-otherwise >output 2>&1 &&
+	grep "No changes" output &&
+
+	force_color git -C for-submodules add -p dirty-head >output 2>&1 <y &&
+	git -C for-submodules ls-files --stage dirty-head >actual &&
+	rev="$(git -C for-submodules/dirty-head rev-parse HEAD)" &&
+	grep "$rev" actual
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'set up pathological context' '
 	git reset --hard &&
 	test_write_lines a a a a a a a a a a a >a &&