diff --git a/builtin/bundle.c b/builtin/bundle.c
index 2adad545a2e..7d983a238f0 100644
--- a/builtin/bundle.c
+++ b/builtin/bundle.c
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ static int cmd_bundle_verify(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix) {
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
 	close(bundle_fd);
-	if (verify_bundle(the_repository, &header, !quiet)) {
+	if (verify_bundle(the_repository, &header,
+			  quiet ? 0 : VERIFY_BUNDLE_VERBOSE)) {
 		ret = 1;
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
@@ -185,7 +186,7 @@ static int cmd_bundle_unbundle(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		strvec_pushl(&extra_index_pack_args, "-v", "--progress-title",
 			     _("Unbundling objects"), NULL);
 	ret = !!unbundle(the_repository, &header, bundle_fd,
-			 &extra_index_pack_args) ||
+			 &extra_index_pack_args, 0) ||
 		list_bundle_refs(&header, argc, argv);
 	bundle_header_release(&header);
 cleanup:
diff --git a/bundle-uri.c b/bundle-uri.c
index 8a7c11c6393..ad5baabdd94 100644
--- a/bundle-uri.c
+++ b/bundle-uri.c
@@ -301,7 +301,13 @@ static int unbundle_from_file(struct repository *r, const char *file)
 	if ((bundle_fd = read_bundle_header(file, &header)) < 0)
 		return 1;
 
-	if ((result = unbundle(r, &header, bundle_fd, NULL)))
+	/*
+	 * Skip the reachability walk here, since we will be adding
+	 * a reachable ref pointing to the new tips, which will reach
+	 * the prerequisite commits.
+	 */
+	if ((result = unbundle(r, &header, bundle_fd, NULL,
+			       VERIFY_BUNDLE_SKIP_REACHABLE)))
 		return 1;
 
 	/*
diff --git a/bundle.c b/bundle.c
index 0208e6d90d3..36ffeb1e0eb 100644
--- a/bundle.c
+++ b/bundle.c
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ static int list_refs(struct string_list *r, int argc, const char **argv)
 
 int verify_bundle(struct repository *r,
 		  struct bundle_header *header,
-		  int verbose)
+		  enum verify_bundle_flags flags)
 {
 	/*
 	 * Do fast check, then if any prereqs are missing then go line by line
@@ -222,7 +222,8 @@ int verify_bundle(struct repository *r,
 			error("%s", message);
 		error("%s %s", oid_to_hex(oid), name);
 	}
-	if (revs.pending.nr != p->nr)
+	if (revs.pending.nr != p->nr ||
+	    (flags & VERIFY_BUNDLE_SKIP_REACHABLE))
 		goto cleanup;
 	req_nr = revs.pending.nr;
 	setup_revisions(2, argv, &revs, NULL);
@@ -259,7 +260,7 @@ int verify_bundle(struct repository *r,
 			clear_commit_marks(commit, ALL_REV_FLAGS);
 	}
 
-	if (verbose) {
+	if (flags & VERIFY_BUNDLE_VERBOSE) {
 		struct string_list *r;
 
 		r = &header->references;
@@ -620,7 +621,8 @@ err:
 }
 
 int unbundle(struct repository *r, struct bundle_header *header,
-	     int bundle_fd, struct strvec *extra_index_pack_args)
+	     int bundle_fd, struct strvec *extra_index_pack_args,
+	     enum verify_bundle_flags flags)
 {
 	struct child_process ip = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 	strvec_pushl(&ip.args, "index-pack", "--fix-thin", "--stdin", NULL);
@@ -634,7 +636,7 @@ int unbundle(struct repository *r, struct bundle_header *header,
 		strvec_clear(extra_index_pack_args);
 	}
 
-	if (verify_bundle(r, header, 0))
+	if (verify_bundle(r, header, flags))
 		return -1;
 	ip.in = bundle_fd;
 	ip.no_stdout = 1;
diff --git a/bundle.h b/bundle.h
index 0c052f54964..9f798c00d93 100644
--- a/bundle.h
+++ b/bundle.h
@@ -29,7 +29,14 @@ int read_bundle_header_fd(int fd, struct bundle_header *header,
 int create_bundle(struct repository *r, const char *path,
 		  int argc, const char **argv, struct strvec *pack_options,
 		  int version);
-int verify_bundle(struct repository *r, struct bundle_header *header, int verbose);
+
+enum verify_bundle_flags {
+	VERIFY_BUNDLE_VERBOSE = (1 << 0),
+	VERIFY_BUNDLE_SKIP_REACHABLE = (1 << 1)
+};
+
+int verify_bundle(struct repository *r, struct bundle_header *header,
+		  enum verify_bundle_flags flags);
 
 /**
  * Unbundle after reading the header with read_bundle_header().
@@ -40,9 +47,13 @@ int verify_bundle(struct repository *r, struct bundle_header *header, int verbos
  * Provide "extra_index_pack_args" to pass any extra arguments
  * (e.g. "-v" for verbose/progress), NULL otherwise. The provided
  * "extra_index_pack_args" (if any) will be strvec_clear()'d for you.
+ *
+ * Before unbundling, this method will call verify_bundle() with the
+ * given 'flags'.
  */
 int unbundle(struct repository *r, struct bundle_header *header,
-	     int bundle_fd, struct strvec *extra_index_pack_args);
+	     int bundle_fd, struct strvec *extra_index_pack_args,
+	     enum verify_bundle_flags flags);
 int list_bundle_refs(struct bundle_header *header,
 		int argc, const char **argv);
 
diff --git a/transport.c b/transport.c
index 52db7a3cb09..c5d3042731a 100644
--- a/transport.c
+++ b/transport.c
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ static int fetch_refs_from_bundle(struct transport *transport,
 	if (!data->get_refs_from_bundle_called)
 		get_refs_from_bundle_inner(transport);
 	ret = unbundle(the_repository, &data->header, data->fd,
-		       &extra_index_pack_args);
+		       &extra_index_pack_args, 0);
 	transport->hash_algo = data->header.hash_algo;
 	return ret;
 }
