diff --git a/builtin/describe.c b/builtin/describe.c
index 5b5930f5c8..7ff9b5e4b2 100644
--- a/builtin/describe.c
+++ b/builtin/describe.c
@@ -654,6 +654,8 @@ int cmd_describe(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			int fd, result;
 
 			setup_work_tree();
+			prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
+			the_repository->settings.command_requires_full_index = 0;
 			repo_read_index(the_repository);
 			refresh_index(&the_index, REFRESH_QUIET|REFRESH_UNMERGED,
 				      NULL, NULL, NULL);
diff --git a/t/perf/p2000-sparse-operations.sh b/t/perf/p2000-sparse-operations.sh
index 3242cfe91a..db7887470f 100755
--- a/t/perf/p2000-sparse-operations.sh
+++ b/t/perf/p2000-sparse-operations.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ test_expect_success 'setup repo and indexes' '
 	done &&
 
 	git sparse-checkout init --cone &&
+	git tag -a v1.0 -m "Final" &&
 	git sparse-checkout set $SPARSE_CONE &&
 	git checkout -b wide $OLD_COMMIT &&
 
@@ -125,5 +126,7 @@ test_perf_on_all git checkout-index -f --all
 test_perf_on_all git update-index --add --remove $SPARSE_CONE/a
 test_perf_on_all "git rm -f $SPARSE_CONE/a && git checkout HEAD -- $SPARSE_CONE/a"
 test_perf_on_all git grep --cached --sparse bogus -- "f2/f1/f1/*"
+test_perf_on_all git describe --dirty
+test_perf_on_all 'echo >>new && git describe --dirty'
 
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t1092-sparse-checkout-compatibility.sh b/t/t1092-sparse-checkout-compatibility.sh
index 801919009e..51bebd4fa9 100755
--- a/t/t1092-sparse-checkout-compatibility.sh
+++ b/t/t1092-sparse-checkout-compatibility.sh
@@ -1514,6 +1514,31 @@ test_expect_success 'sparse-index is not expanded: stash' '
 	ensure_not_expanded stash pop
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'describe tested on all' '
+	init_repos &&
+
+	# Add tag to be read by describe
+
+	run_on_all git tag -a v1.0 -m "Version 1" &&
+	test_all_match git describe --dirty &&
+	run_on_all rm g &&
+	test_all_match git describe --dirty
+'
+
+
+test_expect_success 'sparse-index is not expanded: describe' '
+	init_repos &&
+
+	# Add tag to be read by describe
+
+	git -C sparse-index tag -a v1.0 -m "Version 1" &&
+
+	ensure_not_expanded describe --dirty &&
+	echo "test" >>sparse-index/g &&
+	ensure_not_expanded describe --dirty &&
+	ensure_not_expanded describe
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'sparse index is not expanded: diff' '
 	init_repos &&