diff --git a/cli/examples/custom-working-copy/main.rs b/cli/examples/custom-working-copy/main.rs
index 40bdcf4b48..d75d07c374 100644
--- a/cli/examples/custom-working-copy/main.rs
+++ b/cli/examples/custom-working-copy/main.rs
@@ -241,8 +241,8 @@ impl LockedWorkingCopy for LockedConflictsWorkingCopy {
         self.inner.reset(commit)
     }
 
-    fn reset_to_empty(&mut self) -> Result<(), ResetError> {
-        self.inner.reset_to_empty()
+    fn recover(&mut self, commit: &Commit) -> Result<(), ResetError> {
+        self.inner.recover(commit)
     }
 
     fn sparse_patterns(&self) -> Result<&[RepoPathBuf], WorkingCopyStateError> {
diff --git a/cli/src/commands/workspace.rs b/cli/src/commands/workspace.rs
index b90793564a..d2a4328f4b 100644
--- a/cli/src/commands/workspace.rs
+++ b/cli/src/commands/workspace.rs
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ fn create_and_check_out_recovery_commit(
     mut_repo.set_wc_commit(workspace_id, new_commit.id().clone())?;
     let repo = tx.commit("recovery commit");
 
-    locked_workspace.locked_wc().reset_to_empty()?;
+    locked_workspace.locked_wc().recover(&new_commit)?;
     locked_workspace.finish(repo.op_id().clone())?;
 
     writeln!(
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_workspaces.rs b/cli/tests/test_workspaces.rs
index 1e23cf69fd..5af482b51c 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_workspaces.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_workspaces.rs
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ fn test_workspaces_current_op_discarded_by_other() {
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @"");
 
     insta::assert_snapshot!(get_log_output(&test_env, &main_path), @r###"
-    ◉  8fd911b4e595 secondary@
+    ◉  b93a924213f3 secondary@
     ◉  ec4904a30161
     │ @  74769415363f default@
     ├─╯
@@ -511,14 +511,12 @@ fn test_workspaces_current_op_discarded_by_other() {
     "###);
     let (stdout, stderr) = test_env.jj_cmd_ok(&secondary_path, &["st"]);
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @"");
-    // TODO: The file outside the sparse patterns should still be there
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @r###"
     Working copy changes:
     A added
     D deleted
     M modified
-    D sparse
-    Working copy : kmkuslsw 8fd911b4 (no description set)
+    Working copy : kmkuslsw b93a9242 (no description set)
     Parent commit: rzvqmyuk ec4904a3 (empty) (no description set)
     "###);
     // The modified file should have the same contents it had before (not reset to
@@ -530,7 +528,7 @@ fn test_workspaces_current_op_discarded_by_other() {
     let (stdout, stderr) = test_env.jj_cmd_ok(&secondary_path, &["obslog"]);
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @"");
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @r###"
-    @  kmkuslsw test.user@example.com 2001-02-03 04:05:18.000 +07:00 secondary@ 8fd911b4
+    @  kmkuslsw test.user@example.com 2001-02-03 04:05:18.000 +07:00 secondary@ b93a9242
     │  (no description set)
     ◉  kmkuslsw hidden test.user@example.com 2001-02-03 04:05:18.000 +07:00 30ee0d1f
        (empty) (no description set)
diff --git a/lib/src/local_working_copy.rs b/lib/src/local_working_copy.rs
index 03c39c3d22..1ec388a1fb 100644
--- a/lib/src/local_working_copy.rs
+++ b/lib/src/local_working_copy.rs
@@ -1457,9 +1457,10 @@ impl TreeState {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub fn reset_to_empty(&mut self) {
+    pub async fn recover(&mut self, new_tree: &MergedTree) -> Result<(), ResetError> {
         self.file_states.clear();
         self.tree_id = self.store.empty_merged_tree_id();
+        self.reset(new_tree).await
     }
 }
 
@@ -1778,14 +1779,16 @@ impl LockedWorkingCopy for LockedLocalWorkingCopy {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn reset_to_empty(&mut self) -> Result<(), ResetError> {
+    fn recover(&mut self, commit: &Commit) -> Result<(), ResetError> {
+        let new_tree = commit.tree()?;
         self.wc
             .tree_state_mut()
             .map_err(|err| ResetError::Other {
                 message: "Failed to read the working copy state".to_string(),
                 err: err.into(),
             })?
-            .reset_to_empty();
+            .recover(&new_tree)
+            .block_on()?;
         self.tree_state_dirty = true;
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/lib/src/working_copy.rs b/lib/src/working_copy.rs
index 39c3b95631..072895e50b 100644
--- a/lib/src/working_copy.rs
+++ b/lib/src/working_copy.rs
@@ -107,8 +107,9 @@ pub trait LockedWorkingCopy {
     /// Update to another commit without touching the files in the working copy.
     fn reset(&mut self, commit: &Commit) -> Result<(), ResetError>;
 
-    /// Update to the empty tree without touching the files in the working copy.
-    fn reset_to_empty(&mut self) -> Result<(), ResetError>;
+    /// Update to another commit without touching the files in the working copy,
+    /// without assuming that the previous tree exists.
+    fn recover(&mut self, commit: &Commit) -> Result<(), ResetError>;
 
     /// See `WorkingCopy::sparse_patterns()`
     fn sparse_patterns(&self) -> Result<&[RepoPathBuf], WorkingCopyStateError>;