diff --git a/read-cache.c b/read-cache.c
index 8a50ff66b3..f398659662 100644
--- a/read-cache.c
+++ b/read-cache.c
@@ -738,7 +738,7 @@ int add_to_index(struct index_state *istate, const char *path, struct stat *st,
 	int intent_only = flags & ADD_CACHE_INTENT;
 	int add_option = (ADD_CACHE_OK_TO_ADD|ADD_CACHE_OK_TO_REPLACE|
 			  (intent_only ? ADD_CACHE_NEW_ONLY : 0));
-	int hash_flags = HASH_WRITE_OBJECT;
+	unsigned hash_flags = pretend ? 0 : HASH_WRITE_OBJECT;
 	struct object_id oid;
 
 	if (flags & ADD_CACHE_RENORMALIZE)
diff --git a/t/t2200-add-update.sh b/t/t2200-add-update.sh
index 45ca35d60a..94c4cb0672 100755
--- a/t/t2200-add-update.sh
+++ b/t/t2200-add-update.sh
@@ -129,12 +129,15 @@ test_expect_success 'add -n -u should not add but just report' '
 		echo "remove '\''top'\''"
 	) >expect &&
 	before=$(git ls-files -s check top) &&
+	git count-objects -v >objects_before &&
 	echo changed >>check &&
 	rm -f top &&
 	git add -n -u >actual &&
 	after=$(git ls-files -s check top) &&
+	git count-objects -v >objects_after &&
 
 	test "$before" = "$after" &&
+	test_cmp objects_before objects_after &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
 
 '