diff --git a/lockfile.c b/lockfile.c
index 6d756086939b63..8589155532da9e 100644
--- a/lockfile.c
+++ b/lockfile.c
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ static int lock_file(struct lock_file *lk, const char *path, int flags)
 			signal(SIGHUP, remove_lock_file_on_signal);
 			signal(SIGTERM, remove_lock_file_on_signal);
 			signal(SIGQUIT, remove_lock_file_on_signal);
+			signal(SIGPIPE, remove_lock_file_on_signal);
 			atexit(remove_lock_file);
 		}
 		lk->owner = getpid();
diff --git a/t/t3600-rm.sh b/t/t3600-rm.sh
index b7d46e50a87f26..95542e9cfec1d7 100755
--- a/t/t3600-rm.sh
+++ b/t/t3600-rm.sh
@@ -251,4 +251,21 @@ test_expect_success 'refresh index before checking if it is up-to-date' '
 
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'choking "git rm" should not let it die with cruft' '
+	git reset -q --hard &&
+	H=0000000000000000000000000000000000000000 &&
+	i=0 &&
+	while test $i -lt 12000
+	do
+	    echo "100644 $H 0	some-file-$i"
+	    i=$(( $i + 1 ))
+	done | git update-index --index-info &&
+	git rm -n "some-file-*" | :;
+	test -f .git/index.lock
+	status=$?
+	rm -f .git/index.lock
+	git reset -q --hard
+	test "$status" != 0
+'
+
 test_done