diff --git a/git-svn.perl b/git-svn.perl
index ec25ea4231..4c779b6c6d 100755
--- a/git-svn.perl
+++ b/git-svn.perl
@@ -374,6 +374,9 @@ sub cmd_set_tree {
 
 sub cmd_dcommit {
 	my $head = shift;
+	git_cmd_try { command_oneline(qw/diff-index --quiet HEAD/) }
+		'Cannot dcommit with a dirty index.  Commit your changes first'
+		. "or stash them with `git stash'.\n";
 	$head ||= 'HEAD';
 	my @refs;
 	my ($url, $rev, $uuid, $gs) = working_head_info($head, \@refs);
diff --git a/t/t9106-git-svn-dcommit-clobber-series.sh b/t/t9106-git-svn-dcommit-clobber-series.sh
index 7eff4cdc05..d59acc8d1a 100755
--- a/t/t9106-git-svn-dcommit-clobber-series.sh
+++ b/t/t9106-git-svn-dcommit-clobber-series.sh
@@ -53,4 +53,10 @@ test_expect_success 'change file but in unrelated area' "
 		test x\"\`sed -n -e 61p < file\`\" = x6611
 	"
 
+test_expect_failure 'attempt to dcommit with a dirty index' '
+	echo foo >>file &&
+	git add file &&
+	git svn dcommit
+'
+
 test_done