diff --git a/cache-tree.c b/cache-tree.c
index 65ca993361..3441c4930f 100644
--- a/cache-tree.c
+++ b/cache-tree.c
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "tree.h"
 #include "tree-walk.h"
 #include "cache-tree.h"
+#include "bulk-checkin.h"
 #include "object-store.h"
 #include "replace-object.h"
 #include "promisor-remote.h"
@@ -474,8 +475,10 @@ int cache_tree_update(struct index_state *istate, int flags)
 
 	trace_performance_enter();
 	trace2_region_enter("cache_tree", "update", the_repository);
+	begin_odb_transaction();
 	i = update_one(istate->cache_tree, istate->cache, istate->cache_nr,
 		       "", 0, &skip, flags);
+	end_odb_transaction();
 	trace2_region_leave("cache_tree", "update", the_repository);
 	trace_performance_leave("cache_tree_update");
 	if (i < 0)