diff --git a/t/t3200-branch.sh b/t/t3200-branch.sh
index 478b82cf9b..e9ad50b66d 100755
--- a/t/t3200-branch.sh
+++ b/t/t3200-branch.sh
@@ -264,6 +264,30 @@ test_expect_success 'git branch --list -d t should fail' '
 	test_must_fail git rev-parse refs/heads/t
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'deleting checked-out branch from repo that is a submodule' '
+	test_when_finished "rm -rf repo1 repo2" &&
+
+	git init repo1 &&
+	git init repo1/sub &&
+	test_commit -C repo1/sub x &&
+	git -C repo1 submodule add ./sub &&
+	git -C repo1 commit -m "adding sub" &&
+
+	git clone --recurse-submodules repo1 repo2 &&
+	git -C repo2/sub checkout -b work &&
+	test_must_fail git -C repo2/sub branch -D work
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'bare main worktree has HEAD at branch deleted by secondary worktree' '
+	test_when_finished "rm -rf nonbare base secondary" &&
+
+	git init nonbare &&
+	test_commit -C nonbare x &&
+	git clone --bare nonbare bare &&
+	git -C bare worktree add --detach ../secondary master &&
+	git -C secondary branch -D master
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'git branch --list -v with --abbrev' '
 	test_when_finished "git branch -D t" &&
 	git branch t &&
diff --git a/worktree.c b/worktree.c
index b45bfeb9d3..4f66cd9ce1 100644
--- a/worktree.c
+++ b/worktree.c
@@ -49,18 +49,24 @@ static struct worktree *get_main_worktree(void)
 	struct worktree *worktree = NULL;
 	struct strbuf path = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf worktree_path = STRBUF_INIT;
-	int is_bare = 0;
 
 	strbuf_add_absolute_path(&worktree_path, get_git_common_dir());
-	is_bare = !strbuf_strip_suffix(&worktree_path, "/.git");
-	if (is_bare)
+	if (!strbuf_strip_suffix(&worktree_path, "/.git"))
 		strbuf_strip_suffix(&worktree_path, "/.");
 
 	strbuf_addf(&path, "%s/HEAD", get_git_common_dir());
 
 	worktree = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*worktree));
 	worktree->path = strbuf_detach(&worktree_path, NULL);
-	worktree->is_bare = is_bare;
+	/*
+	 * NEEDSWORK: If this function is called from a secondary worktree and
+	 * config.worktree is present, is_bare_repository_cfg will reflect the
+	 * contents of config.worktree, not the contents of the main worktree.
+	 * This means that worktree->is_bare may be set to 0 even if the main
+	 * worktree is configured to be bare.
+	 */
+	worktree->is_bare = (is_bare_repository_cfg == 1) ||
+		is_bare_repository();
 	add_head_info(worktree);
 
 	strbuf_release(&path);