diff --git a/t/t4012-diff-binary.sh b/t/t4012-diff-binary.sh
index 008cf10a0c..ed24ddd88a 100755
--- a/t/t4012-diff-binary.sh
+++ b/t/t4012-diff-binary.sh
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ test_description='Binary diff and apply
 
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
+cat >expect.binary-numstat <<\EOF
+1	1	a
+-	-	b
+1	1	c
+-	-	d
+EOF
+
 test_expect_success 'prepare repository' \
 	'echo AIT >a && echo BIT >b && echo CIT >c && echo DIT >d &&
 	 git update-index --add a b c d &&
@@ -23,13 +30,23 @@ cat > expected <<\EOF
  d |  Bin
  4 files changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
 EOF
-test_expect_success 'diff without --binary' \
-	'git diff | git apply --stat --summary >current &&
-	 test_i18ncmp expected current'
+test_expect_success '"apply --stat" output for binary file change' '
+	git diff >diff &&
+	git apply --stat --summary <diff >current &&
+	test_i18ncmp expected current
+'
 
-test_expect_success 'diff with --binary' \
-	'git diff --binary | git apply --stat --summary >current &&
-	 test_i18ncmp expected current'
+test_expect_success 'apply --numstat notices binary file change' '
+	git diff >diff &&
+	git apply --numstat <diff >current &&
+	test_cmp expect.binary-numstat current
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'apply --numstat understands diff --binary format' '
+	git diff --binary >diff &&
+	git apply --numstat <diff >current &&
+	test_cmp expect.binary-numstat current
+'
 
 # apply needs to be able to skip the binary material correctly
 # in order to report the line number of a corrupt patch.