diff --git a/src/ignore.c b/src/ignore.c
index 1ac8afdf3..3c2f19ab9 100644
--- a/src/ignore.c
+++ b/src/ignore.c
@@ -205,6 +205,16 @@ cleanup:
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int get_internal_ignores(git_attr_file **ign, git_repository *repo)
+{
+	int error;
+
+	if (!(error = git_attr_cache__init(repo)))
+		error = git_attr_cache__internal_file(repo, GIT_IGNORE_INTERNAL, ign);
+
+	return error;
+}
+
 int git_ignore_add_rule(
 	git_repository *repo,
 	const char *rules)
@@ -212,10 +222,7 @@ int git_ignore_add_rule(
 	int error;
 	git_attr_file *ign_internal;
 
-	error = git_attr_cache__internal_file(
-		repo, GIT_IGNORE_INTERNAL, &ign_internal);
-
-	if (!error && ign_internal != NULL)
+	if (!(error = get_internal_ignores(&ign_internal, repo)))
 		error = parse_ignore_file(repo, rules, ign_internal);
 
 	return error;
@@ -227,10 +234,7 @@ int git_ignore_clear_internal_rules(
 	int error;
 	git_attr_file *ign_internal;
 
-	error = git_attr_cache__internal_file(
-		repo, GIT_IGNORE_INTERNAL, &ign_internal);
-
-	if (!error && ign_internal != NULL)
+	if (!(error = get_internal_ignores(&ign_internal, repo)))
 		git_attr_file__clear_rules(ign_internal);
 
 	return error;
diff --git a/tests-clar/status/ignore.c b/tests-clar/status/ignore.c
index 9c6d7ee67..9092d5155 100644
--- a/tests-clar/status/ignore.c
+++ b/tests-clar/status/ignore.c
@@ -199,3 +199,18 @@ void test_status_ignore__adding_internal_ignores(void)
 	cl_git_pass(git_status_should_ignore(&ignored, g_repo, "two.bar"));
 	cl_assert(ignored);
 }
+
+void test_status_ignore__add_internal_as_first_thing(void)
+{
+	int ignored;
+	const char *add_me = "\n#################\n## Eclipse\n#################\n\n*.pydevproject\n.project\n.metadata\nbin/\ntmp/\n*.tmp\n\n";
+
+	g_repo = cl_git_sandbox_init("empty_standard_repo");
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_ignore_add_rule(g_repo, add_me));
+
+	cl_git_pass(git_status_should_ignore(&ignored, g_repo, "one.tmp"));
+	cl_assert(ignored);
+	cl_git_pass(git_status_should_ignore(&ignored, g_repo, "two.bar"));
+	cl_assert(!ignored);
+}