diff --git a/submodule.c b/submodule.c
index 2967704317..47ddc9b273 100644
--- a/submodule.c
+++ b/submodule.c
@@ -1657,7 +1657,9 @@ int submodule_move_head(const char *path,
 	else
 		argv_array_push(&cp.args, "-m");
 
-	argv_array_push(&cp.args, old ? old : EMPTY_TREE_SHA1_HEX);
+	if (!(flags & SUBMODULE_MOVE_HEAD_FORCE))
+		argv_array_push(&cp.args, old ? old : EMPTY_TREE_SHA1_HEX);
+
 	argv_array_push(&cp.args, new ? new : EMPTY_TREE_SHA1_HEX);
 
 	if (run_command(&cp)) {
diff --git a/t/lib-submodule-update.sh b/t/lib-submodule-update.sh
index fb0173ea87..1f38a85371 100755
--- a/t/lib-submodule-update.sh
+++ b/t/lib-submodule-update.sh
@@ -1015,4 +1015,18 @@ test_submodule_forced_switch_recursing_with_args () {
 			test_submodule_content sub1 origin/modify_sub1
 		)
 	'
+
+	test_expect_success "$command: changed submodule worktree is reset" '
+		prolog &&
+		reset_work_tree_to_interested add_sub1 &&
+		(
+			cd submodule_update &&
+			rm sub1/file1 &&
+			: >sub1/new_file &&
+			git -C sub1 add new_file &&
+			$command HEAD &&
+			test_path_is_file sub1/file1 &&
+			test_path_is_missing sub1/new_file
+		)
+	'
 }