diff --git a/t/t4030-diff-textconv.sh b/t/t4030-diff-textconv.sh
index 3945731e9a..09967f5663 100755
--- a/t/t4030-diff-textconv.sh
+++ b/t/t4030-diff-textconv.sh
@@ -76,6 +76,14 @@ test_expect_success 'format-patch produces binary' '
 	test_cmp expect.binary actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'status -v produces text' '
+	git reset --soft HEAD^ &&
+	git status -v >diff &&
+	find_diff <diff >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect.text actual &&
+	git reset --soft HEAD@{1}
+'
+
 cat >expect.stat <<'EOF'
  file |  Bin 2 -> 4 bytes
  1 files changed, 0 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c
index 54d2f58693..6a7645ed86 100644
--- a/wt-status.c
+++ b/wt-status.c
@@ -301,6 +301,7 @@ static void wt_status_print_verbose(struct wt_status *s)
 	setup_revisions(0, NULL, &rev, s->reference);
 	rev.diffopt.output_format |= DIFF_FORMAT_PATCH;
 	rev.diffopt.detect_rename = 1;
+	DIFF_OPT_SET(&rev.diffopt, ALLOW_TEXTCONV);
 	rev.diffopt.file = s->fp;
 	rev.diffopt.close_file = 0;
 	/*