diff --git a/builtin/apply.c b/builtin/apply.c
index bf075cc29d..13319e8f2f 100644
--- a/builtin/apply.c
+++ b/builtin/apply.c
@@ -1997,9 +1997,12 @@ static int parse_chunk(char *buffer, unsigned long size, struct patch *patch)
 
 	prefix_patch(patch);
 
-	patch->ws_rule = whitespace_rule(patch->new_name
-					 ? patch->new_name
-					 : patch->old_name);
+	if (!use_patch(patch))
+		patch->ws_rule = 0;
+	else
+		patch->ws_rule = whitespace_rule(patch->new_name
+						 ? patch->new_name
+						 : patch->old_name);
 
 	patchsize = parse_single_patch(buffer + offset + hdrsize,
 				       size - offset - hdrsize, patch);
diff --git a/t/t4124-apply-ws-rule.sh b/t/t4124-apply-ws-rule.sh
index 5d0c598338..c6474de4c8 100755
--- a/t/t4124-apply-ws-rule.sh
+++ b/t/t4124-apply-ws-rule.sh
@@ -512,4 +512,15 @@ test_expect_success 'whitespace=fix to expand' '
 	git -c core.whitespace=tab-in-indent apply --whitespace=fix patch
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'whitespace check skipped for excluded paths' '
+	git config core.whitespace blank-at-eol &&
+	>used &&
+	>unused &&
+	git add used unused &&
+	echo "used" >used &&
+	echo "unused " >unused &&
+	git diff-files -p used unused >patch &&
+	git apply --include=used --stat --whitespace=error <patch
+'
+
 test_done