diff --git a/preload-index.c b/preload-index.c
index c7970d7cb95587..4dbed6c16d7a02 100644
--- a/preload-index.c
+++ b/preload-index.c
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ static void *preload_thread(void *_data)
 			continue;
 		if (ce_uptodate(ce))
 			continue;
+		if (ce_skip_worktree(ce))
+			continue;
 		if (!ce_path_match(ce, &p->pathspec, NULL))
 			continue;
 		if (threaded_has_symlink_leading_path(&cache, ce->name, ce_namelen(ce)))