diff --git a/builtin/rm.c b/builtin/rm.c
index 3304bff42a..74a7a43efb 100644
--- a/builtin/rm.c
+++ b/builtin/rm.c
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ static int check_local_mod(unsigned char *head, int index_only)
 		 * "intent to add" entry.
 		 */
 		if (local_changes && staged_changes) {
-			if (!index_only || !(ce->ce_flags & CE_INTENT_TO_ADD))
+			if (!index_only || !ce_intent_to_add(ce))
 				string_list_append(&files_staged, name);
 		}
 		else if (!index_only) {
diff --git a/cache-tree.c b/cache-tree.c
index 32772b9564..e590346a08 100644
--- a/cache-tree.c
+++ b/cache-tree.c
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ static int update_one(struct cache_tree *it,
 		 * they are not part of generated trees. Invalidate up
 		 * to root to force cache-tree users to read elsewhere.
 		 */
-		if (ce->ce_flags & CE_INTENT_TO_ADD) {
+		if (ce_intent_to_add(ce)) {
 			to_invalidate = 1;
 			continue;
 		}
diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 3d3244ba64..b1f0531966 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@ static inline unsigned create_ce_flags(unsigned stage)
 #define ce_uptodate(ce) ((ce)->ce_flags & CE_UPTODATE)
 #define ce_skip_worktree(ce) ((ce)->ce_flags & CE_SKIP_WORKTREE)
 #define ce_mark_uptodate(ce) ((ce)->ce_flags |= CE_UPTODATE)
+#define ce_intent_to_add(ce) ((ce)->ce_flags & CE_INTENT_TO_ADD)
 
 #define ce_permissions(mode) (((mode) & 0100) ? 0755 : 0644)
 static inline unsigned int create_ce_mode(unsigned int mode)
diff --git a/read-cache.c b/read-cache.c
index 36ff89f29e..fb80c47e38 100644
--- a/read-cache.c
+++ b/read-cache.c
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ int ie_match_stat(const struct index_state *istate,
 	 * by definition never matches what is in the work tree until it
 	 * actually gets added.
 	 */
-	if (ce->ce_flags & CE_INTENT_TO_ADD)
+	if (ce_intent_to_add(ce))
 		return DATA_CHANGED | TYPE_CHANGED | MODE_CHANGED;
 
 	changed = ce_match_stat_basic(ce, st);
@@ -1231,7 +1231,7 @@ int refresh_index(struct index_state *istate, unsigned int flags,
 
 			if (cache_errno == ENOENT)
 				fmt = deleted_fmt;
-			else if (ce->ce_flags & CE_INTENT_TO_ADD)
+			else if (ce_intent_to_add(ce))
 				fmt = added_fmt; /* must be before other checks */
 			else if (changed & TYPE_CHANGED)
 				fmt = typechange_fmt;