diff --git a/git-stash.sh b/git-stash.sh
index 07ac3235904..0a9403653d7 100755
--- a/git-stash.sh
+++ b/git-stash.sh
@@ -136,11 +136,12 @@ save_stash () {
 			keep_index=t
 			;;
 		--no-keep-index)
-			keep_index=
+			keep_index=n
 			;;
 		-p|--patch)
 			patch_mode=t
-			keep_index=t
+			# only default to keep if we don't already have an override
+			test -z "$keep_index" && keep_index=t
 			;;
 		-q|--quiet)
 			GIT_QUIET=t
@@ -185,7 +186,7 @@ save_stash () {
 	then
 		git reset --hard ${GIT_QUIET:+-q}
 
-		if test -n "$keep_index" && test -n $i_tree
+		if test "$keep_index" = "t" && test -n $i_tree
 		then
 			git read-tree --reset -u $i_tree
 		fi
@@ -193,7 +194,7 @@ save_stash () {
 		git apply -R < "$TMP-patch" ||
 		die "Cannot remove worktree changes"
 
-		if test -z "$keep_index"
+		if test "$keep_index" != "t"
 		then
 			git reset
 		fi
diff --git a/t/t3903-stash.sh b/t/t3903-stash.sh
index a27d778624c..5c725406422 100755
--- a/t/t3903-stash.sh
+++ b/t/t3903-stash.sh
@@ -236,6 +236,14 @@ test_expect_success 'stash -k' '
 	test bar,bar4 = $(cat file),$(cat file2)
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'stash --no-keep-index' '
+	echo bar33 > file &&
+	echo bar44 > file2 &&
+	git add file2 &&
+	git stash --no-keep-index &&
+	test bar,bar2 = $(cat file),$(cat file2)
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'stash --invalid-option' '
 	echo bar5 > file &&
 	echo bar6 > file2 &&
diff --git a/t/t3904-stash-patch.sh b/t/t3904-stash-patch.sh
index 1e7193ac0bc..781fd716815 100755
--- a/t/t3904-stash-patch.sh
+++ b/t/t3904-stash-patch.sh
@@ -48,6 +48,18 @@ test_expect_success PERL 'git stash -p --no-keep-index' '
 	verify_state bar dummy bar_index
 '
 
+test_expect_success PERL 'git stash --no-keep-index -p' '
+	set_state dir/foo work index &&
+	set_state bar bar_work bar_index &&
+	(echo n; echo y) | git stash save --no-keep-index -p &&
+	verify_state dir/foo head head &&
+	verify_state bar bar_work dummy &&
+	git reset --hard &&
+	git stash apply --index &&
+	verify_state dir/foo work index &&
+	verify_state bar dummy bar_index
+'
+
 test_expect_success PERL 'none of this moved HEAD' '
 	verify_saved_head
 '