diff --git a/git/diff.py b/git/diff.py
index cea66d7ee..c8c57685b 100644
--- a/git/diff.py
+++ b/git/diff.py
@@ -509,9 +509,9 @@ def _index_from_patch_format(cls, repo: 'Repo', proc: Union['Popen', 'Git.AutoIn
     def _handle_diff_line(lines_bytes: bytes, repo: 'Repo', index: DiffIndex) -> None:
         lines = lines_bytes.decode(defenc)
 
-        for line in lines.split(':')[1:]:
-            meta, _, path = line.partition('\x00')
-            path = path.rstrip('\x00')
+        it = iter(lines.split('\x00'))
+        for meta, path in zip(it, it):
+            meta = meta[1:]
             a_blob_id: Optional[str]
             b_blob_id: Optional[str]
             old_mode, new_mode, a_blob_id, b_blob_id, _change_type = meta.split(None, 4)