diff --git a/builtin/blame.c b/builtin/blame.c
index 324d476abf..83683b8287 100644
--- a/builtin/blame.c
+++ b/builtin/blame.c
@@ -2044,6 +2044,19 @@ static int git_blame_config(const char *var, const char *value, void *cb)
 	return git_default_config(var, value, cb);
 }
 
+static void verify_working_tree_path(unsigned char *head_sha1, const char *path)
+{
+	unsigned char blob_sha1[20];
+	unsigned mode;
+
+	if (!resolve_ref_unsafe("HEAD", head_sha1, 1, NULL))
+		die("no such ref: HEAD");
+	if (get_tree_entry(head_sha1, path, blob_sha1, &mode))
+		die("no such path '%s' in HEAD", path);
+	if (sha1_object_info(blob_sha1, NULL) != OBJ_BLOB)
+		die("path '%s' in HEAD is not a blob", path);
+}
+
 /*
  * Prepare a dummy commit that represents the work tree (or staged) item.
  * Note that annotating work tree item never works in the reverse.
@@ -2062,8 +2075,7 @@ static struct commit *fake_working_tree_commit(struct diff_options *opt,
 	struct cache_entry *ce;
 	unsigned mode;
 
-	if (get_sha1("HEAD", head_sha1))
-		die("No such ref: HEAD");
+	verify_working_tree_path(head_sha1, path);
 
 	time(&now);
 	commit = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*commit));
diff --git a/t/t8004-blame-with-conflicts.sh b/t/t8004-blame-with-conflicts.sh
index ba19ac127e..b4a260a0fc 100755
--- a/t/t8004-blame-with-conflicts.sh
+++ b/t/t8004-blame-with-conflicts.sh
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ test_expect_success \
 	git blame file2
 '
 
-test_expect_success 'blame runs on conflicted file in stages 1,3' '
-	git blame file1
+test_expect_success 'blame does not crash with conflicted file in stages 1,3' '
+	test_must_fail git blame file1
 '
 
 test_done