diff --git a/contrib/fast-import/git-p4 b/contrib/fast-import/git-p4
index 594980302b..dafc4a2c82 100755
--- a/contrib/fast-import/git-p4
+++ b/contrib/fast-import/git-p4
@@ -2335,7 +2335,8 @@ def main():
     args = sys.argv[2:]
 
     if len(options) > 0:
-        options.append(optparse.make_option("--git-dir", dest="gitdir"))
+        if cmd.needsGit:
+            options.append(optparse.make_option("--git-dir", dest="gitdir"))
 
         parser = optparse.OptionParser(cmd.usage.replace("%prog", "%prog " + cmdName),
                                        options,
diff --git a/t/t9806-git-p4-options.sh b/t/t9806-git-p4-options.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..8044fb035e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t9806-git-p4-options.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+test_description='git-p4 options'
+
+. ./lib-git-p4.sh
+
+test_expect_success 'start p4d' '
+	start_p4d
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'init depot' '
+	(
+		cd "$cli" &&
+		echo file1 >file1 &&
+		p4 add file1 &&
+		p4 submit -d "change 1" &&
+		echo file2 >file2 &&
+		p4 add file2 &&
+		p4 submit -d "change 2" &&
+		echo file3 >file3 &&
+		p4 add file3 &&
+		p4 submit -d "change 3"
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'clone no --git-dir' '
+	test_must_fail "$GITP4" clone --git-dir=xx //depot
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'kill p4d' '
+	kill_p4d
+'
+
+test_done