1 files changed, 23 insertions, 6 deletions
diff --git a/dir.c b/dir.c
index 174d336c30..7bbf22a3e7 100644
--- a/dir.c
+++ b/dir.c
@@ -1504,8 +1504,9 @@ static int path_in_sparse_checkout_1(const char *path,
 				     struct index_state *istate,
 				     int require_cone_mode)
 {
-	const char *base;
 	int dtype = DT_REG;
+	enum pattern_match_result match = UNDECIDED;
+	const char *end, *slash;
 
 	/*
 	 * We default to accepting a path if there are no patterns or
@@ -1516,11 +1517,27 @@ static int path_in_sparse_checkout_1(const char *path,
 	     !istate->sparse_checkout_patterns->use_cone_patterns))
 		return 1;
 
-	base = strrchr(path, '/');
-	return path_matches_pattern_list(path, strlen(path), base ? base + 1 : path,
-					 &dtype,
-					 istate->sparse_checkout_patterns,
-					 istate) > 0;
+	/*
+	 * If UNDECIDED, use the match from the parent dir (recursively), or
+	 * fall back to NOT_MATCHED at the topmost level. Note that cone mode
+	 * never returns UNDECIDED, so we will execute only one iteration in
+	 * this case.
+	 */
+	for (end = path + strlen(path);
+	     end > path && match == UNDECIDED;
+	     end = slash) {
+
+		for (slash = end - 1; slash > path && *slash != '/'; slash--)
+			; /* do nothing */
+
+		match = path_matches_pattern_list(path, end - path,
+				slash > path ? slash + 1 : path, &dtype,
+				istate->sparse_checkout_patterns, istate);
+
+		/* We are going to match the parent dir now */
+		dtype = DT_DIR;
+	}
+	return match > 0;
 }
 
 int path_in_sparse_checkout(const char *path,