diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 3980d5d06e..e060efb2a2 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ static int add_pending_uninteresting_ref(const char *refname,
 					 const unsigned char *sha1,
 					 int flags, void *cb_data)
 {
-	add_pending_sha1(cb_data, refname, sha1, flags | UNINTERESTING);
+	add_pending_sha1(cb_data, refname, sha1, UNINTERESTING);
 	return 0;
 }