diff --git a/Documentation/git-multi-pack-index.txt b/Documentation/git-multi-pack-index.txt
index 11e6dc53e3..3696506eb3 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-multi-pack-index.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-multi-pack-index.txt
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ verify::
 expire::
 	Delete the pack-files that are tracked by the MIDX file, but
 	have no objects referenced by the MIDX (with the exception of
-	`.keep` packs). Rewrite the MIDX file afterward to remove all
-	references to these pack-files.
+	`.keep` packs and cruft packs). Rewrite the MIDX file afterward
+	to remove all references to these pack-files.
 
 repack::
 	Create a new pack-file containing objects in small pack-files
diff --git a/midx.c b/midx.c
index c27d0e5f15..bff5b99933 100644
--- a/midx.c
+++ b/midx.c
@@ -1839,7 +1839,7 @@ int expire_midx_packs(struct repository *r, const char *object_dir, unsigned fla
 		if (prepare_midx_pack(r, m, i))
 			continue;
 
-		if (m->packs[i]->pack_keep)
+		if (m->packs[i]->pack_keep || m->packs[i]->is_cruft)
 			continue;
 
 		pack_name = xstrdup(m->packs[i]->pack_name);
diff --git a/t/t5319-multi-pack-index.sh b/t/t5319-multi-pack-index.sh
index afbe93f162..2d51b09680 100755
--- a/t/t5319-multi-pack-index.sh
+++ b/t/t5319-multi-pack-index.sh
@@ -847,6 +847,36 @@ test_expect_success 'expire respects .keep files' '
 	)
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'expiring unreferenced cruft pack retains pack' '
+	git init repo &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		test_commit base &&
+		test_commit --no-tag unreachable &&
+		unreachable=$(git rev-parse HEAD) &&
+
+		git reset --hard base &&
+		git reflog expire --all --expire=all &&
+		git repack --cruft -d &&
+		mtimes="$(ls $objdir/pack/pack-*.mtimes)" &&
+
+		echo "base..$unreachable" >in &&
+		pack="$(git pack-objects --revs --delta-base-offset \
+			$objdir/pack/pack <in)" &&
+
+		# Preferring the contents of "$pack" will leave the
+		# cruft pack unreferenced (ie., none of the objects
+		# contained in the cruft pack will have their MIDX copy
+		# selected from the cruft pack).
+		git multi-pack-index write --preferred-pack="pack-$pack.pack" &&
+		git multi-pack-index expire &&
+
+		test_path_is_file "$mtimes"
+	)
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'repack --batch-size=0 repacks everything' '
 	cp -r dup dup2 &&
 	(