diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 3a7bfde158..2ec873a612 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -1518,6 +1518,10 @@ static void die_if_some_operation_in_progress(void)
 static int checkout_branch(struct checkout_opts *opts,
 			   struct branch_info *new_branch_info)
 {
+	int noop_switch = (!new_branch_info->name &&
+			   !opts->new_branch &&
+			   !opts->force_detach);
+
 	if (opts->pathspec.nr)
 		die(_("paths cannot be used with switching branches"));
 
@@ -1529,9 +1533,14 @@ static int checkout_branch(struct checkout_opts *opts,
 		die(_("'%s' cannot be used with switching branches"),
 		    "--[no]-overlay");
 
-	if (opts->writeout_stage)
-		die(_("'%s' cannot be used with switching branches"),
-		    "--ours/--theirs");
+	if (opts->writeout_stage) {
+		const char *msg;
+		if (noop_switch)
+			msg = _("'%s' needs the paths to check out");
+		else
+			msg = _("'%s' cannot be used with switching branches");
+		die(msg, "--ours/--theirs");
+	}
 
 	if (opts->force && opts->merge)
 		die(_("'%s' cannot be used with '%s'"), "-f", "-m");
@@ -1558,10 +1567,8 @@ static int checkout_branch(struct checkout_opts *opts,
 		die(_("Cannot switch branch to a non-commit '%s'"),
 		    new_branch_info->name);
 
-	if (!opts->switch_branch_doing_nothing_is_ok &&
-	    !new_branch_info->name &&
-	    !opts->new_branch &&
-	    !opts->force_detach)
+	if (noop_switch &&
+	    !opts->switch_branch_doing_nothing_is_ok)
 		die(_("missing branch or commit argument"));
 
 	if (!opts->implicit_detach &&
diff --git a/t/t7201-co.sh b/t/t7201-co.sh
index 10cc6c4605..42acf965c8 100755
--- a/t/t7201-co.sh
+++ b/t/t7201-co.sh
@@ -497,6 +497,19 @@ test_expect_success 'checkout unmerged stage' '
 	test ztheirside = "z$(cat file)"
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'checkout --ours is incompatible with switching' '
+	test_must_fail git checkout --ours 2>error &&
+	test_grep "needs the paths to check out" error &&
+
+	test_must_fail git checkout --ours HEAD 2>error &&
+	test_grep "cannot be used with switching" error &&
+
+	test_must_fail git checkout --ours main 2>error &&
+	test_grep "cannot be used with switching" error &&
+
+	git checkout --ours file
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'checkout path with --merge from tree-ish is a no-no' '
 	setup_conflicting_index &&
 	test_must_fail git checkout -m HEAD -- file