diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 8c5276cf44..953b76370b 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -865,7 +865,7 @@ static int prepare_linked_checkout(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 
 	if (!new->commit)
 		die(_("no branch specified"));
-	if (file_exists(path))
+	if (file_exists(path) && !is_empty_dir(path))
 		die(_("'%s' already exists"), path);
 
 	len = strlen(path);
diff --git a/t/t2025-checkout-to.sh b/t/t2025-checkout-to.sh
index eddd3251f1..915b506b6c 100755
--- a/t/t2025-checkout-to.sh
+++ b/t/t2025-checkout-to.sh
@@ -13,10 +13,15 @@ test_expect_success 'checkout --to not updating paths' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'checkout --to an existing worktree' '
-	mkdir existing &&
+	mkdir -p existing/subtree &&
 	test_must_fail git checkout --detach --to existing master
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'checkout --to an existing empty worktree' '
+	mkdir existing_empty &&
+	git checkout --detach --to existing_empty master
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'checkout --to refuses to checkout locked branch' '
 	test_must_fail git checkout --to zere master &&
 	! test -d zere &&