diff --git a/unpack-trees.c b/unpack-trees.c
index 803445aa7b..df1c9209d4 100644
--- a/unpack-trees.c
+++ b/unpack-trees.c
@@ -1127,14 +1127,65 @@ static int verify_clean_subdirectory(struct cache_entry *ce,
  * See if we can find a case-insensitive match in the index that also
  * matches the stat information, and assume it's that other file!
  */
-static int icase_exists(struct unpack_trees_options *o, struct cache_entry *dst, struct stat *st)
+static int icase_exists(struct unpack_trees_options *o, const char *name, int len, struct stat *st)
 {
 	struct cache_entry *src;
 
-	src = index_name_exists(o->src_index, dst->name, ce_namelen(dst), 1);
+	src = index_name_exists(o->src_index, name, len, 1);
 	return src && !ie_match_stat(o->src_index, src, st, CE_MATCH_IGNORE_VALID|CE_MATCH_IGNORE_SKIP_WORKTREE);
 }
 
+static int check_ok_to_remove(const char *name, int len, int dtype,
+			      struct cache_entry *ce, struct stat *st,
+			      enum unpack_trees_error_types error_type,
+			      struct unpack_trees_options *o)
+{
+	struct cache_entry *result;
+
+	/*
+	 * It may be that the 'lstat()' succeeded even though
+	 * target 'ce' was absent, because there is an old
+	 * entry that is different only in case..
+	 *
+	 * Ignore that lstat() if it matches.
+	 */
+	if (ignore_case && icase_exists(o, name, len, st))
+		return 0;
+
+	if (o->dir && excluded(o->dir, name, &dtype))
+		/*
+		 * ce->name is explicitly excluded, so it is Ok to
+		 * overwrite it.
+		 */
+		return 0;
+	if (S_ISDIR(st->st_mode)) {
+		/*
+		 * We are checking out path "foo" and
+		 * found "foo/." in the working tree.
+		 * This is tricky -- if we have modified
+		 * files that are in "foo/" we would lose
+		 * them.
+		 */
+		if (verify_clean_subdirectory(ce, error_type, o) < 0)
+			return -1;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * The previous round may already have decided to
+	 * delete this path, which is in a subdirectory that
+	 * is being replaced with a blob.
+	 */
+	result = index_name_exists(&o->result, name, len, 0);
+	if (result) {
+		if (result->ce_flags & CE_REMOVE)
+			return 0;
+	}
+
+	return o->gently ? -1 :
+		add_rejected_path(o, error_type, name);
+}
+
 /*
  * We do not want to remove or overwrite a working tree file that
  * is not tracked, unless it is ignored.
@@ -1151,55 +1202,13 @@ static int verify_absent_1(struct cache_entry *ce,
 	if (has_symlink_or_noent_leading_path(ce->name, ce_namelen(ce)))
 		return 0;
 
-	if (!lstat(ce->name, &st)) {
-		int dtype = ce_to_dtype(ce);
-		struct cache_entry *result;
-
-		/*
-		 * It may be that the 'lstat()' succeeded even though
-		 * target 'ce' was absent, because there is an old
-		 * entry that is different only in case..
-		 *
-		 * Ignore that lstat() if it matches.
-		 */
-		if (ignore_case && icase_exists(o, ce, &st))
-			return 0;
-
-		if (o->dir && excluded(o->dir, ce->name, &dtype))
-			/*
-			 * ce->name is explicitly excluded, so it is Ok to
-			 * overwrite it.
-			 */
-			return 0;
-		if (S_ISDIR(st.st_mode)) {
-			/*
-			 * We are checking out path "foo" and
-			 * found "foo/." in the working tree.
-			 * This is tricky -- if we have modified
-			 * files that are in "foo/" we would lose
-			 * them.
-			 */
-			if (verify_clean_subdirectory(ce, error_type, o) < 0)
-				return -1;
-			return 0;
-		}
-
-		/*
-		 * The previous round may already have decided to
-		 * delete this path, which is in a subdirectory that
-		 * is being replaced with a blob.
-		 */
-		result = index_name_exists(&o->result, ce->name, ce_namelen(ce), 0);
-		if (result) {
-			if (result->ce_flags & CE_REMOVE)
-				return 0;
-		}
-
-		return o->gently ? -1 :
-			add_rejected_path(o, error_type, ce->name);
-	}
+	if (!lstat(ce->name, &st))
+		return check_ok_to_remove(ce->name, ce_namelen(ce),
+				ce_to_dtype(ce), ce, &st,
+				error_type, o);
 	return 0;
 }
+
 static int verify_absent(struct cache_entry *ce,
 			 enum unpack_trees_error_types error_type,
 			 struct unpack_trees_options *o)