diff --git a/builtin/add.c b/builtin/add.c
index b2a5c57f0afde8..145f06ef97afd1 100644
--- a/builtin/add.c
+++ b/builtin/add.c
@@ -336,14 +336,8 @@ int cmd_add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (!show_only && ignore_missing)
 		die(_("Option --ignore-missing can only be used together with --dry-run"));
 
-	if ((0 < addremove_explicit || take_worktree_changes) && !argc) {
-		static const char *whole[2] = { ":/", NULL };
-		argc = 1;
-		argv = whole;
-	}
-
 	add_new_files = !take_worktree_changes && !refresh_only;
-	require_pathspec = !take_worktree_changes;
+	require_pathspec = !(take_worktree_changes || (0 < addremove_explicit));
 
 	hold_locked_index(&lock_file, 1);
 
diff --git a/t/t2200-add-update.sh b/t/t2200-add-update.sh
index e16b15d3e5784e..314c73c5a708fd 100755
--- a/t/t2200-add-update.sh
+++ b/t/t2200-add-update.sh
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ test_expect_success 'non-qualified update in subdir updates from the root' '
 	(
 		cd dir1 &&
 		echo even more >>sub2 &&
+		git --literal-pathspecs add -u &&
+		echo even more >>sub2 &&
 		git add -u
 	) &&
 	: >expect &&
diff --git a/t/t2202-add-addremove.sh b/t/t2202-add-addremove.sh
index fc8b59e7f7796c..6a5a3166b1823e 100755
--- a/t/t2202-add-addremove.sh
+++ b/t/t2202-add-addremove.sh
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 		echo expect
 		echo ignored
 	) >.gitignore &&
+	git --literal-pathspecs add --all &&
 	>will-remove &&
 	git add --all &&
 	test_tick &&