}
 
-static const char read_tree_usage[] = "git-read-tree (<sha> | [[-m [--trivial] [--aggressive] | --reset | --prefix=<prefix>] [-u | -i]] [--exclude-per-directory=<gitignore>] [--index-output=<file>] <sha1> [<sha2> [<sha3>]])";
+static const char read_tree_usage[] = "git read-tree (<sha> | [[-m [--trivial] [--aggressive] | --reset | --prefix=<prefix>] [-u | -i]] [--exclude-per-directory=<gitignore>] [--index-output=<file>] <sha1> [<sha2> [<sha3>]])";
 
 static struct lock_file lock_file;
 
                usage(read_tree_usage);
        if ((opts.dir && !opts.update))
                die("--exclude-per-directory is meaningless unless -u");
+       if (opts.merge && !opts.index_only)
+               setup_work_tree();
 
        if (opts.merge) {
                if (stage < 2)
                        break;
                case 2:
                        opts.fn = twoway_merge;
+                       opts.initial_checkout = is_cache_unborn();
                        break;
                case 3:
                default: