if (rev.pending.nr != 1 ||
            rev.max_count != -1 || rev.min_age != -1 || rev.max_age != -1)
                usage(diff_cache_usage);
-       if (!cached)
+       if (!cached) {
                setup_work_tree();
-       if (read_cache() < 0) {
+               if (read_cache_preload(&rev.diffopt.pathspec) < 0) {
+                       perror("read_cache_preload");
+                       return -1;
+               }
+       } else if (read_cache() < 0) {
                perror("read_cache");
                return -1;
        }