diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/DirCacheCheckoutTest.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/DirCacheCheckoutTest.java
index fafd745b5..efb686da5 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/DirCacheCheckoutTest.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/DirCacheCheckoutTest.java
@@ -55,22 +55,27 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.eclipse.jgit.api.CheckoutCommand;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.api.CheckoutResult;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.api.Git;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.api.MergeResult.MergeStatus;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.api.ResetCommand.ResetType;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.api.Status;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.api.errors.GitAPIException;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.api.errors.JGitInternalException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.api.errors.NoFilepatternException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.dircache.DirCache;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.dircache.DirCacheCheckout;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.dircache.DirCacheEditor;
-import org.eclipse.jgit.dircache.DirCacheEntry;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.dircache.DirCacheEditor.PathEdit;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.dircache.DirCacheEntry;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.CheckoutConflictException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.CorruptObjectException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.NoWorkTreeException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.revwalk.RevCommit;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.treewalk.FileTreeIterator;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.treewalk.TreeWalk;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.util.FS;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 public class DirCacheCheckoutTest extends RepositoryTestCase {
@@ -939,6 +944,202 @@ public void testDontOverwriteDirtyFile() throws IOException {
 		}
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testFileModeChangeWithNoContentChangeUpdate() throws Exception {
+		if (!FS.DETECTED.supportsExecute())
+			return;
+
+		Git git = Git.wrap(db);
+
+		// Add non-executable file
+		File file = writeTrashFile("file.txt", "a");
+		git.add().addFilepattern("file.txt").call();
+		git.commit().setMessage("commit1").call();
+		assertFalse(db.getFS().canExecute(file));
+
+		// Create branch
+		git.branchCreate().setName("b1").call();
+
+		// Make file executable
+		db.getFS().setExecute(file, true);
+		git.add().addFilepattern("file.txt").call();
+		git.commit().setMessage("commit2").call();
+
+		// Verify executable and working directory is clean
+		Status status = git.status().call();
+		assertTrue(status.getModified().isEmpty());
+		assertTrue(status.getChanged().isEmpty());
+		assertTrue(db.getFS().canExecute(file));
+
+		// Switch branches
+		git.checkout().setName("b1").call();
+
+		// Verify not executable and working directory is clean
+		status = git.status().call();
+		assertTrue(status.getModified().isEmpty());
+		assertTrue(status.getChanged().isEmpty());
+		assertFalse(db.getFS().canExecute(file));
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testFileModeChangeAndContentChangeConflict() throws Exception {
+		if (!FS.DETECTED.supportsExecute())
+			return;
+
+		Git git = Git.wrap(db);
+
+		// Add non-executable file
+		File file = writeTrashFile("file.txt", "a");
+		git.add().addFilepattern("file.txt").call();
+		git.commit().setMessage("commit1").call();
+		assertFalse(db.getFS().canExecute(file));
+
+		// Create branch
+		git.branchCreate().setName("b1").call();
+
+		// Make file executable
+		db.getFS().setExecute(file, true);
+		git.add().addFilepattern("file.txt").call();
+		git.commit().setMessage("commit2").call();
+
+		// Verify executable and working directory is clean
+		Status status = git.status().call();
+		assertTrue(status.getModified().isEmpty());
+		assertTrue(status.getChanged().isEmpty());
+		assertTrue(db.getFS().canExecute(file));
+
+		writeTrashFile("file.txt", "b");
+
+		// Switch branches
+		CheckoutCommand checkout = git.checkout().setName("b1");
+		try {
+			checkout.call();
+			fail("Checkout exception not thrown");
+		} catch (JGitInternalException e) {
+			CheckoutResult result = checkout.getResult();
+			assertNotNull(result);
+			assertNotNull(result.getConflictList());
+			assertEquals(1, result.getConflictList().size());
+			assertTrue(result.getConflictList().contains("file.txt"));
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testDirtyFileModeEqualHeadMerge()
+			throws Exception {
+		if (!FS.DETECTED.supportsExecute())
+			return;
+
+		Git git = Git.wrap(db);
+
+		// Add non-executable file
+		File file = writeTrashFile("file.txt", "a");
+		git.add().addFilepattern("file.txt").call();
+		git.commit().setMessage("commit1").call();
+		assertFalse(db.getFS().canExecute(file));
+
+		// Create branch
+		git.branchCreate().setName("b1").call();
+
+		// Create second commit and don't touch file
+		writeTrashFile("file2.txt", "");
+		git.add().addFilepattern("file2.txt").call();
+		git.commit().setMessage("commit2").call();
+
+		// stage a mode change
+		writeTrashFile("file.txt", "a");
+		db.getFS().setExecute(file, true);
+		git.add().addFilepattern("file.txt").call();
+
+		// dirty the file
+		writeTrashFile("file.txt", "b");
+
+		assertEquals(
+				"[file.txt, mode:100755, content:a][file2.txt, mode:100644, content:]",
+				indexState(CONTENT));
+		assertWorkDir(mkmap("file.txt", "b", "file2.txt", ""));
+
+		// Switch branches and check that the dirty file survived in worktree
+		// and index
+		git.checkout().setName("b1").call();
+		assertEquals("[file.txt, mode:100755, content:a]", indexState(CONTENT));
+		assertWorkDir(mkmap("file.txt", "b"));
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testDirtyFileModeEqualIndexMerge()
+			throws Exception {
+		if (!FS.DETECTED.supportsExecute())
+			return;
+
+		Git git = Git.wrap(db);
+
+		// Add non-executable file
+		File file = writeTrashFile("file.txt", "a");
+		git.add().addFilepattern("file.txt").call();
+		git.commit().setMessage("commit1").call();
+		assertFalse(db.getFS().canExecute(file));
+
+		// Create branch
+		git.branchCreate().setName("b1").call();
+
+		// Create second commit with executable file
+		file = writeTrashFile("file.txt", "b");
+		db.getFS().setExecute(file, true);
+		git.add().addFilepattern("file.txt").call();
+		git.commit().setMessage("commit2").call();
+
+		// stage the same content as in the branch we want to switch to
+		writeTrashFile("file.txt", "a");
+		db.getFS().setExecute(file, false);
+		git.add().addFilepattern("file.txt").call();
+
+		// dirty the file
+		writeTrashFile("file.txt", "c");
+		db.getFS().setExecute(file, true);
+
+		assertEquals("[file.txt, mode:100644, content:a]", indexState(CONTENT));
+		assertWorkDir(mkmap("file.txt", "c"));
+
+		// Switch branches and check that the dirty file survived in worktree
+		// and index
+		git.checkout().setName("b1").call();
+		assertEquals("[file.txt, mode:100644, content:a]", indexState(CONTENT));
+		assertWorkDir(mkmap("file.txt", "c"));
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testFileModeChangeAndContentChangeNoConflict() throws Exception {
+		if (!FS.DETECTED.supportsExecute())
+			return;
+
+		Git git = Git.wrap(db);
+
+		// Add first file
+		File file1 = writeTrashFile("file1.txt", "a");
+		git.add().addFilepattern("file1.txt").call();
+		git.commit().setMessage("commit1").call();
+		assertFalse(db.getFS().canExecute(file1));
+
+		// Add second file
+		File file2 = writeTrashFile("file2.txt", "b");
+		git.add().addFilepattern("file2.txt").call();
+		git.commit().setMessage("commit2").call();
+		assertFalse(db.getFS().canExecute(file2));
+
+		// Create branch from first commit
+		assertNotNull(git.checkout().setCreateBranch(true).setName("b1")
+				.setStartPoint(Constants.HEAD + "~1").call());
+
+		// Change content and file mode in working directory and index
+		file1 = writeTrashFile("file1.txt", "c");
+		db.getFS().setExecute(file1, true);
+		git.add().addFilepattern("file1.txt").call();
+
+		// Switch back to 'master'
+		assertNotNull(git.checkout().setName(Constants.MASTER).call());
+	}
+
 	public void assertWorkDir(HashMap<String, String> i) throws CorruptObjectException,
 			IOException {
 		TreeWalk walk = new TreeWalk(db);
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/dircache/DirCacheCheckout.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/dircache/DirCacheCheckout.java
index 9b397e88c..58b691228 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/dircache/DirCacheCheckout.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/dircache/DirCacheCheckout.java
@@ -472,6 +472,23 @@ private void removeEmptyParents(File f) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Compares whether two pairs of ObjectId and FileMode are equal.
+	 *
+	 * @param id1
+	 * @param mode1
+	 * @param id2
+	 * @param mode2
+	 * @return <code>true</code> if FileModes and ObjectIds are equal.
+	 *         <code>false</code> otherwise
+	 */
+	private boolean equalIdAndMode(ObjectId id1, FileMode mode1, ObjectId id2,
+			FileMode mode2) {
+		if (!mode1.equals(mode2))
+			return false;
+		return id1 != null ? id1.equals(id2) : id2 == null;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Here the main work is done. This method is called for each existing path
 	 * in head, index and merge. This method decides what to do with the
@@ -508,6 +525,9 @@ void processEntry(AbstractTreeIterator h, AbstractTreeIterator m,
 		ObjectId iId = (i == null ? null : i.getEntryObjectId());
 		ObjectId mId = (m == null ? null : m.getEntryObjectId());
 		ObjectId hId = (h == null ? null : h.getEntryObjectId());
+		FileMode iMode = (i == null ? null : i.getEntryFileMode());
+		FileMode mMode = (m == null ? null : m.getEntryFileMode());
+		FileMode hMode = (h == null ? null : h.getEntryFileMode());
 
 		/**
 		 * <pre>
@@ -596,7 +616,7 @@ void processEntry(AbstractTreeIterator h, AbstractTreeIterator m,
 			case 0xFDD: // 10 11
 				// TODO: make use of tree extension as soon as available in jgit
 				// we would like to do something like
-				// if (!iId.equals(mId))
+				// if (!equalIdAndMode(iId, iMode, mId, mMode)
 				//   conflict(name, i.getDirCacheEntry(), h, m);
 				// But since we don't know the id of a tree in the index we do
 				// nothing here and wait that conflicts between index and merge
@@ -610,7 +630,7 @@ void processEntry(AbstractTreeIterator h, AbstractTreeIterator m,
 				conflict(name, (i != null) ? i.getDirCacheEntry() : null, h, m);
 				break;
 			case 0xFDF: // 7 8 9
-				if (hId.equals(mId)) {
+				if (equalIdAndMode(hId, hMode, mId, mMode)) {
 					if (isModified(name))
 						conflict(name, i.getDirCacheEntry(), h, m); // 8
 					else
@@ -625,7 +645,7 @@ void processEntry(AbstractTreeIterator h, AbstractTreeIterator m,
 				keep(i.getDirCacheEntry());
 				break;
 			case 0xFFD: // 12 13 14
-				if (hId.equals(iId)) {
+				if (equalIdAndMode(hId, hMode, iId, iMode)) {
 					dce = i.getDirCacheEntry();
 					if (f == null || f.isModified(dce, true))
 						conflict(name, dce, h, m);
@@ -662,7 +682,9 @@ void processEntry(AbstractTreeIterator h, AbstractTreeIterator m,
 				if (!FileMode.GITLINK.equals(m.getEntryFileMode())) {
 					// a dirty worktree: the index is empty but we have a
 					// workingtree-file
-					if (mId == null || !mId.equals(f.getEntryObjectId())) {
+					if (mId == null
+							|| !equalIdAndMode(mId, mMode,
+									f.getEntryObjectId(), f.getEntryFileMode())) {
 						conflict(name, null, h, m);
 						return;
 					}
@@ -703,7 +725,7 @@ else if (m == null)
 				 * </pre>
 				 */
 
-				if (m == null || mId.equals(iId)) {
+				if (m == null || equalIdAndMode(mId, mMode, iId, iMode)) {
 					if (m==null && walk.isDirectoryFileConflict()) {
 						if (dce != null
 								&& (f == null || f.isModified(dce, true)))
@@ -732,7 +754,7 @@ else if (m == null)
 					// be removed from the index, but not deleted from disk.
 					remove(name);
 				} else {
-					if (hId.equals(iId)) {
+					if (equalIdAndMode(hId, hMode, iId, iMode)) {
 						if (f == null || f.isModified(dce, true))
 							conflict(name, dce, h, m);
 						else
@@ -741,9 +763,12 @@ else if (m == null)
 						conflict(name, dce, h, m);
 				}
 			} else {
-				if (!hId.equals(mId) && !hId.equals(iId) && !mId.equals(iId))
+				if (!equalIdAndMode(hId, hMode, mId, mMode)
+						&& !equalIdAndMode(hId, hMode, iId, iMode)
+						&& !equalIdAndMode(mId, mMode, iId, iMode))
 					conflict(name, dce, h, m);
-				else if (hId.equals(iId) && !mId.equals(iId)) {
+				else if (equalIdAndMode(hId, hMode, iId, iMode)
+						&& !equalIdAndMode(mId, mMode, iId, iMode)) {
 					// For submodules just update the index with the new SHA-1
 					if (dce != null
 							&& FileMode.GITLINK.equals(dce.getFileMode())) {