diff --git a/t/t4126-apply-empty.sh b/t/t4126-apply-empty.sh
index eaf0c5304a..2462cdf904 100755
--- a/t/t4126-apply-empty.sh
+++ b/t/t4126-apply-empty.sh
@@ -66,26 +66,29 @@ test_expect_success 'apply --index create' '
 	git diff --exit-code
 '
 
-test_expect_success 'apply with no-contents and a funny pathname' '
-	mkdir "funny " &&
-	>"funny /empty" &&
-	git add "funny /empty" &&
-	git diff HEAD "funny /" >sample.patch &&
-	git diff -R HEAD "funny /" >elpmas.patch &&
+test_expect_success 'parsing a patch with no-contents and a funny pathname' '
 	git reset --hard &&
-	rm -fr "funny " &&
+	empty_blob=$(test_oid empty_blob) &&
+	echo "$empty_blob" >expect &&
 
-	git apply --stat --check --apply sample.patch &&
-	test_must_be_empty "funny /empty" &&
+	git update-index --add --cacheinfo "100644,$empty_blob,funny /empty" &&
+	git diff --cached HEAD -- "funny /" >sample.patch &&
+	git diff --cached -R HEAD -- "funny /" >elpmas.patch &&
+	git reset &&
 
-	git apply --stat --check --apply elpmas.patch &&
-	test_path_is_missing "funny /empty" &&
+	git apply --cached --stat --check --apply sample.patch &&
+	git rev-parse --verify ":funny /empty" >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
 
-	git apply -R --stat --check --apply elpmas.patch &&
-	test_must_be_empty "funny /empty" &&
+	git apply --cached --stat --check --apply elpmas.patch &&
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify ":funny /empty" &&
 
-	git apply -R --stat --check --apply sample.patch &&
-	test_path_is_missing "funny /empty"
+	git apply -R --cached --stat --check --apply elpmas.patch &&
+	git rev-parse --verify ":funny /empty" >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual &&
+
+	git apply -R --cached --stat --check --apply sample.patch &&
+	test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify ":funny /empty"
 '
 
 test_done