diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index 1bee26ebd5..2831abd0fa 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -1863,7 +1863,6 @@ static int do_pick_commit(struct repository *r,
 				       NULL, 0))
 			return error_dirty_index(r, opts);
 	}
-	discard_index(r->index);
 
 	if (!commit->parents)
 		parent = NULL;