diff --git a/builtin/repack.c b/builtin/repack.c
index e472586ed5..75e3752353 100644
--- a/builtin/repack.c
+++ b/builtin/repack.c
@@ -1377,9 +1377,12 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 					    "--unpack-unreachable");
 			} else if (keep_unreachable) {
 				strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--keep-unreachable");
-				strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--pack-loose-unreachable");
 			}
 		}
+
+		if (keep_unreachable && delete_redundant &&
+		    !(pack_everything & PACK_CRUFT))
+			strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--pack-loose-unreachable");
 	} else if (geometry.split_factor) {
 		strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--stdin-packs");
 		strvec_push(&cmd.args, "--unpacked");
diff --git a/t/t7701-repack-unpack-unreachable.sh b/t/t7701-repack-unpack-unreachable.sh
index 5715f4d69a..5559d4ccb4 100755
--- a/t/t7701-repack-unpack-unreachable.sh
+++ b/t/t7701-repack-unpack-unreachable.sh
@@ -195,4 +195,20 @@ test_expect_success 'repack -k packs unreachable loose objects' '
 	git cat-file -p $sha1
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'repack -k packs unreachable loose objects without existing packfiles' '
+	test_when_finished "rm -rf repo" &&
+	git init repo &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		oid=$(echo would-be-deleted-loose | git hash-object -w --stdin) &&
+		objpath=.git/objects/$(echo $sha1 | sed "s,..,&/,") &&
+		test_path_is_file $objpath &&
+
+		git repack -ad --keep-unreachable &&
+		test_path_is_missing $objpath &&
+		git cat-file -p $oid
+	)
+'
+
 test_done