diff --git a/builtin/checkout-index.c b/builtin/checkout-index.c
index 383dccf93ef..031780f49e0 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout-index.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout-index.c
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ static char topath[4][TEMPORARY_FILENAME_LENGTH + 1];
 
 static struct checkout state;
 
-static void write_tempfile_record(const char *name, int prefix_length)
+static void write_tempfile_record(const char *name, const char *prefix)
 {
 	int i;
 
@@ -35,14 +35,14 @@ static void write_tempfile_record(const char *name, int prefix_length)
 		fputs(topath[checkout_stage], stdout);
 
 	putchar('\t');
-	write_name_quoted(name + prefix_length, stdout, line_termination);
+	write_name_quoted_relative(name, prefix, stdout, line_termination);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
 		topath[i][0] = 0;
 	}
 }
 
-static int checkout_file(const char *name, int prefix_length)
+static int checkout_file(const char *name, const char *prefix)
 {
 	int namelen = strlen(name);
 	int pos = cache_name_pos(name, namelen);
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ static int checkout_file(const char *name, int prefix_length)
 
 	if (did_checkout) {
 		if (to_tempfile)
-			write_tempfile_record(name, prefix_length);
+			write_tempfile_record(name, prefix);
 		return errs > 0 ? -1 : 0;
 	}
 
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ static void checkout_all(const char *prefix, int prefix_length)
 		if (last_ce && to_tempfile) {
 			if (ce_namelen(last_ce) != ce_namelen(ce)
 			    || memcmp(last_ce->name, ce->name, ce_namelen(ce)))
-				write_tempfile_record(last_ce->name, prefix_length);
+				write_tempfile_record(last_ce->name, prefix);
 		}
 		if (checkout_entry(ce, &state,
 		    to_tempfile ? topath[ce_stage(ce)] : NULL) < 0)
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ static void checkout_all(const char *prefix, int prefix_length)
 		last_ce = ce;
 	}
 	if (last_ce && to_tempfile)
-		write_tempfile_record(last_ce->name, prefix_length);
+		write_tempfile_record(last_ce->name, prefix);
 	if (errs)
 		/* we have already done our error reporting.
 		 * exit with the same code as die().
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ int cmd_checkout_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		if (read_from_stdin)
 			die("git checkout-index: don't mix '--stdin' and explicit filenames");
 		p = prefix_path(prefix, prefix_length, arg);
-		checkout_file(p, prefix_length);
+		checkout_file(p, prefix);
 		if (p < arg || p > arg + strlen(arg))
 			free((char *)p);
 	}
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ int cmd_checkout_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 				strbuf_swap(&buf, &nbuf);
 			}
 			p = prefix_path(prefix, prefix_length, buf.buf);
-			checkout_file(p, prefix_length);
+			checkout_file(p, prefix);
 			if (p < buf.buf || p > buf.buf + buf.len)
 				free((char *)p);
 		}
diff --git a/t/t2004-checkout-cache-temp.sh b/t/t2004-checkout-cache-temp.sh
index f171a5578b6..a12afe93f32 100755
--- a/t/t2004-checkout-cache-temp.sh
+++ b/t/t2004-checkout-cache-temp.sh
@@ -10,202 +10,212 @@ rather than the tracked path.'
 
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
-test_expect_success \
-'preparation' '
-mkdir asubdir &&
-echo tree1path0 >path0 &&
-echo tree1path1 >path1 &&
-echo tree1path3 >path3 &&
-echo tree1path4 >path4 &&
-echo tree1asubdir/path5 >asubdir/path5 &&
-git update-index --add path0 path1 path3 path4 asubdir/path5 &&
-t1=$(git write-tree) &&
-rm -f path* .merge_* out .git/index &&
-echo tree2path0 >path0 &&
-echo tree2path1 >path1 &&
-echo tree2path2 >path2 &&
-echo tree2path4 >path4 &&
-git update-index --add path0 path1 path2 path4 &&
-t2=$(git write-tree) &&
-rm -f path* .merge_* out .git/index &&
-echo tree2path0 >path0 &&
-echo tree3path1 >path1 &&
-echo tree3path2 >path2 &&
-echo tree3path3 >path3 &&
-git update-index --add path0 path1 path2 path3 &&
-t3=$(git write-tree)'
+test_expect_success 'setup' '
+	mkdir asubdir &&
+	echo tree1path0 >path0 &&
+	echo tree1path1 >path1 &&
+	echo tree1path3 >path3 &&
+	echo tree1path4 >path4 &&
+	echo tree1asubdir/path5 >asubdir/path5 &&
+	git update-index --add path0 path1 path3 path4 asubdir/path5 &&
+	t1=$(git write-tree) &&
+	rm -f path* .merge_* actual .git/index &&
+	echo tree2path0 >path0 &&
+	echo tree2path1 >path1 &&
+	echo tree2path2 >path2 &&
+	echo tree2path4 >path4 &&
+	git update-index --add path0 path1 path2 path4 &&
+	t2=$(git write-tree) &&
+	rm -f path* .merge_* actual .git/index &&
+	echo tree2path0 >path0 &&
+	echo tree3path1 >path1 &&
+	echo tree3path2 >path2 &&
+	echo tree3path3 >path3 &&
+	git update-index --add path0 path1 path2 path3 &&
+	t3=$(git write-tree)
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'checkout one stage 0 to temporary file' '
-rm -f path* .merge_* out .git/index &&
-git read-tree $t1 &&
-git checkout-index --temp -- path1 >out &&
-test_line_count = 1 out &&
-test $(cut "-d	" -f2 out) = path1 &&
-p=$(cut "-d	" -f1 out) &&
-test -f $p &&
-test $(cat $p) = tree1path1'
-
-test_expect_success \
-'checkout all stage 0 to temporary files' '
-rm -f path* .merge_* out .git/index &&
-git read-tree $t1 &&
-git checkout-index -a --temp >out &&
-test_line_count = 5 out &&
-for f in path0 path1 path3 path4 asubdir/path5
-do
-	test $(grep $f out | cut "-d	" -f2) = $f &&
-	p=$(grep $f out | cut "-d	" -f1) &&
+test_expect_success 'checkout one stage 0 to temporary file' '
+	rm -f path* .merge_* actual .git/index &&
+	git read-tree $t1 &&
+	git checkout-index --temp -- path1 >actual &&
+	test_line_count = 1 actual &&
+	test $(cut "-d	" -f2 actual) = path1 &&
+	p=$(cut "-d	" -f1 actual) &&
 	test -f $p &&
-	test $(cat $p) = tree1$f
-done'
+	test $(cat $p) = tree1path1
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'prepare 3-way merge' '
-rm -f path* .merge_* out .git/index &&
-git read-tree -m $t1 $t2 $t3'
+test_expect_success 'checkout all stage 0 to temporary files' '
+	rm -f path* .merge_* actual .git/index &&
+	git read-tree $t1 &&
+	git checkout-index -a --temp >actual &&
+	test_line_count = 5 actual &&
+	for f in path0 path1 path3 path4 asubdir/path5
+	do
+		test $(grep $f actual | cut "-d	" -f2) = $f &&
+		p=$(grep $f actual | cut "-d	" -f1) &&
+		test -f $p &&
+		test $(cat $p) = tree1$f
+	done
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'checkout one stage 2 to temporary file' '
-rm -f path* .merge_* out &&
-git checkout-index --stage=2 --temp -- path1 >out &&
-test_line_count = 1 out &&
-test $(cut "-d	" -f2 out) = path1 &&
-p=$(cut "-d	" -f1 out) &&
-test -f $p &&
-test $(cat $p) = tree2path1'
+test_expect_success 'setup 3-way merge' '
+	rm -f path* .merge_* actual .git/index &&
+	git read-tree -m $t1 $t2 $t3
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'checkout all stage 2 to temporary files' '
-rm -f path* .merge_* out &&
-git checkout-index --all --stage=2 --temp >out &&
-test_line_count = 3 out &&
-for f in path1 path2 path4
-do
-	test $(grep $f out | cut "-d	" -f2) = $f &&
-	p=$(grep $f out | cut "-d	" -f1) &&
+test_expect_success 'checkout one stage 2 to temporary file' '
+	rm -f path* .merge_* actual &&
+	git checkout-index --stage=2 --temp -- path1 >actual &&
+	test_line_count = 1 actual &&
+	test $(cut "-d	" -f2 actual) = path1 &&
+	p=$(cut "-d	" -f1 actual) &&
 	test -f $p &&
-	test $(cat $p) = tree2$f
-done'
+	test $(cat $p) = tree2path1
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'checkout all stages/one file to nothing' '
-rm -f path* .merge_* out &&
-git checkout-index --stage=all --temp -- path0 >out &&
-test_line_count = 0 out'
+test_expect_success 'checkout all stage 2 to temporary files' '
+	rm -f path* .merge_* actual &&
+	git checkout-index --all --stage=2 --temp >actual &&
+	test_line_count = 3 actual &&
+	for f in path1 path2 path4
+	do
+		test $(grep $f actual | cut "-d	" -f2) = $f &&
+		p=$(grep $f actual | cut "-d	" -f1) &&
+		test -f $p &&
+		test $(cat $p) = tree2$f
+	done
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'checkout all stages/one file to temporary files' '
-rm -f path* .merge_* out &&
-git checkout-index --stage=all --temp -- path1 >out &&
-test_line_count = 1 out &&
-test $(cut "-d	" -f2 out) = path1 &&
-cut "-d	" -f1 out | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
-test -f $s1 &&
-test -f $s2 &&
-test -f $s3 &&
-test $(cat $s1) = tree1path1 &&
-test $(cat $s2) = tree2path1 &&
-test $(cat $s3) = tree3path1)'
+test_expect_success 'checkout all stages/one file to nothing' '
+	rm -f path* .merge_* actual &&
+	git checkout-index --stage=all --temp -- path0 >actual &&
+	test_line_count = 0 actual
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'checkout some stages/one file to temporary files' '
-rm -f path* .merge_* out &&
-git checkout-index --stage=all --temp -- path2 >out &&
-test_line_count = 1 out &&
-test $(cut "-d	" -f2 out) = path2 &&
-cut "-d	" -f1 out | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
-test $s1 = . &&
-test -f $s2 &&
-test -f $s3 &&
-test $(cat $s2) = tree2path2 &&
-test $(cat $s3) = tree3path2)'
+test_expect_success 'checkout all stages/one file to temporary files' '
+	rm -f path* .merge_* actual &&
+	git checkout-index --stage=all --temp -- path1 >actual &&
+	test_line_count = 1 actual &&
+	test $(cut "-d	" -f2 actual) = path1 &&
+	cut "-d	" -f1 actual | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
+	test -f $s1 &&
+	test -f $s2 &&
+	test -f $s3 &&
+	test $(cat $s1) = tree1path1 &&
+	test $(cat $s2) = tree2path1 &&
+	test $(cat $s3) = tree3path1)
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'checkout all stages/all files to temporary files' '
-rm -f path* .merge_* out &&
-git checkout-index -a --stage=all --temp >out &&
-test_line_count = 5 out'
+test_expect_success 'checkout some stages/one file to temporary files' '
+	rm -f path* .merge_* actual &&
+	git checkout-index --stage=all --temp -- path2 >actual &&
+	test_line_count = 1 actual &&
+	test $(cut "-d	" -f2 actual) = path2 &&
+	cut "-d	" -f1 actual | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
+	test $s1 = . &&
+	test -f $s2 &&
+	test -f $s3 &&
+	test $(cat $s2) = tree2path2 &&
+	test $(cat $s3) = tree3path2)
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'-- path0: no entry' '
-test x$(grep path0 out | cut "-d	" -f2) = x'
+test_expect_success 'checkout all stages/all files to temporary files' '
+	rm -f path* .merge_* actual &&
+	git checkout-index -a --stage=all --temp >actual &&
+	test_line_count = 5 actual
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'-- path1: all 3 stages' '
-test $(grep path1 out | cut "-d	" -f2) = path1 &&
-grep path1 out | cut "-d	" -f1 | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
-test -f $s1 &&
-test -f $s2 &&
-test -f $s3 &&
-test $(cat $s1) = tree1path1 &&
-test $(cat $s2) = tree2path1 &&
-test $(cat $s3) = tree3path1)'
+test_expect_success '-- path0: no entry' '
+	test x$(grep path0 actual | cut "-d	" -f2) = x
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'-- path2: no stage 1, have stage 2 and 3' '
-test $(grep path2 out | cut "-d	" -f2) = path2 &&
-grep path2 out | cut "-d	" -f1 | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
-test $s1 = . &&
-test -f $s2 &&
-test -f $s3 &&
-test $(cat $s2) = tree2path2 &&
-test $(cat $s3) = tree3path2)'
+test_expect_success '-- path1: all 3 stages' '
+	test $(grep path1 actual | cut "-d	" -f2) = path1 &&
+	grep path1 actual | cut "-d	" -f1 | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
+	test -f $s1 &&
+	test -f $s2 &&
+	test -f $s3 &&
+	test $(cat $s1) = tree1path1 &&
+	test $(cat $s2) = tree2path1 &&
+	test $(cat $s3) = tree3path1)
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'-- path3: no stage 2, have stage 1 and 3' '
-test $(grep path3 out | cut "-d	" -f2) = path3 &&
-grep path3 out | cut "-d	" -f1 | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
-test -f $s1 &&
-test $s2 = . &&
-test -f $s3 &&
-test $(cat $s1) = tree1path3 &&
-test $(cat $s3) = tree3path3)'
+test_expect_success '-- path2: no stage 1, have stage 2 and 3' '
+	test $(grep path2 actual | cut "-d	" -f2) = path2 &&
+	grep path2 actual | cut "-d	" -f1 | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
+	test $s1 = . &&
+	test -f $s2 &&
+	test -f $s3 &&
+	test $(cat $s2) = tree2path2 &&
+	test $(cat $s3) = tree3path2)
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'-- path4: no stage 3, have stage 1 and 3' '
-test $(grep path4 out | cut "-d	" -f2) = path4 &&
-grep path4 out | cut "-d	" -f1 | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
-test -f $s1 &&
-test -f $s2 &&
-test $s3 = . &&
-test $(cat $s1) = tree1path4 &&
-test $(cat $s2) = tree2path4)'
+test_expect_success '-- path3: no stage 2, have stage 1 and 3' '
+	test $(grep path3 actual | cut "-d	" -f2) = path3 &&
+	grep path3 actual | cut "-d	" -f1 | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
+	test -f $s1 &&
+	test $s2 = . &&
+	test -f $s3 &&
+	test $(cat $s1) = tree1path3 &&
+	test $(cat $s3) = tree3path3)
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'-- asubdir/path5: no stage 2 and 3 have stage 1' '
-test $(grep asubdir/path5 out | cut "-d	" -f2) = asubdir/path5 &&
-grep asubdir/path5 out | cut "-d	" -f1 | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
-test -f $s1 &&
-test $s2 = . &&
-test $s3 = . &&
-test $(cat $s1) = tree1asubdir/path5)'
+test_expect_success '-- path4: no stage 3, have stage 1 and 3' '
+	test $(grep path4 actual | cut "-d	" -f2) = path4 &&
+	grep path4 actual | cut "-d	" -f1 | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
+	test -f $s1 &&
+	test -f $s2 &&
+	test $s3 = . &&
+	test $(cat $s1) = tree1path4 &&
+	test $(cat $s2) = tree2path4)
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'checkout --temp within subdir' '
-(cd asubdir &&
- git checkout-index -a --stage=all >out &&
- test_line_count = 1 out &&
- test $(grep path5 out | cut "-d	" -f2) = path5 &&
- grep path5 out | cut "-d	" -f1 | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
- test -f ../$s1 &&
- test $s2 = . &&
- test $s3 = . &&
- test $(cat ../$s1) = tree1asubdir/path5)
-)'
+test_expect_success '-- asubdir/path5: no stage 2 and 3 have stage 1' '
+	test $(grep asubdir/path5 actual | cut "-d	" -f2) = asubdir/path5 &&
+	grep asubdir/path5 actual | cut "-d	" -f1 | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
+	test -f $s1 &&
+	test $s2 = . &&
+	test $s3 = . &&
+	test $(cat $s1) = tree1asubdir/path5)
+'
 
-test_expect_success \
-'checkout --temp symlink' '
-rm -f path* .merge_* out .git/index &&
-test_ln_s_add b a &&
-t4=$(git write-tree) &&
-rm -f .git/index &&
-git read-tree $t4 &&
-git checkout-index --temp -a >out &&
-test_line_count = 1 out &&
-test $(cut "-d	" -f2 out) = a &&
-p=$(cut "-d	" -f1 out) &&
-test -f $p &&
-test $(cat $p) = b'
+test_expect_success 'checkout --temp within subdir' '
+	(
+		cd asubdir &&
+		git checkout-index -a --stage=all >actual &&
+		test_line_count = 1 actual &&
+		test $(grep path5 actual | cut "-d	" -f2) = path5 &&
+		grep path5 actual | cut "-d	" -f1 | (read s1 s2 s3 &&
+		test -f ../$s1 &&
+		test $s2 = . &&
+		test $s3 = . &&
+		test $(cat ../$s1) = tree1asubdir/path5)
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout --temp symlink' '
+	rm -f path* .merge_* actual .git/index &&
+	test_ln_s_add path7 path6 &&
+	git checkout-index --temp -a >actual &&
+	test_line_count = 1 actual &&
+	test $(cut "-d	" -f2 actual) = path6 &&
+	p=$(cut "-d	" -f1 actual) &&
+	test -f $p &&
+	test $(cat $p) = path7
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'emit well-formed relative path' '
+	rm -f path* .merge_* actual .git/index &&
+	>path0123456789 &&
+	git update-index --add path0123456789 &&
+	(
+		cd asubdir &&
+		git checkout-index --temp -- ../path0123456789 >actual &&
+		test_line_count = 1 actual &&
+		test $(cut "-d	" -f2 actual) = ../path0123456789
+	)
+'
 
 test_done