diff --git a/builtin/sparse-checkout.c b/builtin/sparse-checkout.c
index 2306a9ad98..d7da50ada5 100644
--- a/builtin/sparse-checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/sparse-checkout.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ static int sparse_checkout_list(int argc, const char **argv)
 	pl.use_cone_patterns = core_sparse_checkout_cone;
 
 	sparse_filename = get_sparse_checkout_filename();
-	res = add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0, &pl, NULL);
+	res = add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0, &pl, NULL, 0);
 	free(sparse_filename);
 
 	if (res < 0) {
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ static int sparse_checkout_init(int argc, const char **argv)
 	memset(&pl, 0, sizeof(pl));
 
 	sparse_filename = get_sparse_checkout_filename();
-	res = add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0, &pl, NULL);
+	res = add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0, &pl, NULL, 0);
 
 	/* If we already have a sparse-checkout file, use it. */
 	if (res >= 0) {
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ static void add_patterns_cone_mode(int argc, const char **argv,
 	existing.use_cone_patterns = core_sparse_checkout_cone;
 
 	if (add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0,
-					   &existing, NULL))
+					   &existing, NULL, 0))
 		die(_("unable to load existing sparse-checkout patterns"));
 	free(sparse_filename);
 
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ static void add_patterns_literal(int argc, const char **argv,
 {
 	char *sparse_filename = get_sparse_checkout_filename();
 	if (add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0,
-					   pl, NULL))
+					   pl, NULL, 0))
 		die(_("unable to load existing sparse-checkout patterns"));
 	free(sparse_filename);
 	add_patterns_from_input(pl, argc, argv);
diff --git a/dir.c b/dir.c
index d153a63bbd..f7fb1db718 100644
--- a/dir.c
+++ b/dir.c
@@ -1046,7 +1046,7 @@ static int add_patterns_from_buffer(char *buf, size_t size,
  */
 static int add_patterns(const char *fname, const char *base, int baselen,
 			struct pattern_list *pl, struct index_state *istate,
-			struct oid_stat *oid_stat)
+			unsigned flags, struct oid_stat *oid_stat)
 {
 	struct stat st;
 	int r;
@@ -1143,9 +1143,10 @@ static int add_patterns_from_buffer(char *buf, size_t size,
 
 int add_patterns_from_file_to_list(const char *fname, const char *base,
 				   int baselen, struct pattern_list *pl,
-				   struct index_state *istate)
+				   struct index_state *istate,
+				   unsigned flags)
 {
-	return add_patterns(fname, base, baselen, pl, istate, NULL);
+	return add_patterns(fname, base, baselen, pl, istate, flags, NULL);
 }
 
 int add_patterns_from_blob_to_list(
@@ -1194,7 +1195,7 @@ static void add_patterns_from_file_1(struct dir_struct *dir, const char *fname,
 	if (!dir->untracked)
 		dir->unmanaged_exclude_files++;
 	pl = add_pattern_list(dir, EXC_FILE, fname);
-	if (add_patterns(fname, "", 0, pl, NULL, oid_stat) < 0)
+	if (add_patterns(fname, "", 0, pl, NULL, 0, oid_stat) < 0)
 		die(_("cannot use %s as an exclude file"), fname);
 }
 
@@ -1557,7 +1558,7 @@ static void prep_exclude(struct dir_struct *dir,
 			strbuf_addbuf(&sb, &dir->basebuf);
 			strbuf_addstr(&sb, dir->exclude_per_dir);
 			pl->src = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
-			add_patterns(pl->src, pl->src, stk->baselen, pl, istate,
+			add_patterns(pl->src, pl->src, stk->baselen, pl, istate, 0,
 				     untracked ? &oid_stat : NULL);
 		}
 		/*
@@ -3009,7 +3010,7 @@ int get_sparse_checkout_patterns(struct pattern_list *pl)
 	char *sparse_filename = get_sparse_checkout_filename();
 
 	pl->use_cone_patterns = core_sparse_checkout_cone;
-	res = add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0, pl, NULL);
+	res = add_patterns_from_file_to_list(sparse_filename, "", 0, pl, NULL, 0);
 
 	free(sparse_filename);
 	return res;
diff --git a/dir.h b/dir.h
index facfae4740..04d886cfce 100644
--- a/dir.h
+++ b/dir.h
@@ -420,7 +420,8 @@ int hashmap_contains_parent(struct hashmap *map,
 struct pattern_list *add_pattern_list(struct dir_struct *dir,
 				      int group_type, const char *src);
 int add_patterns_from_file_to_list(const char *fname, const char *base, int baselen,
-				   struct pattern_list *pl, struct  index_state *istate);
+				   struct pattern_list *pl, struct index_state *istate,
+				   unsigned flags);
 void add_patterns_from_file(struct dir_struct *, const char *fname);
 int add_patterns_from_blob_to_list(struct object_id *oid,
 				   const char *base, int baselen,