diff --git a/git/fileviewgitplugin.cpp b/git/fileviewgitplugin.cpp
--- a/git/fileviewgitplugin.cpp
+++ b/git/fileviewgitplugin.cpp
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@
 {
     QStringList arguments;
     arguments << "-r"; //recurse through directories
-    arguments << "--force"; //also remove files that have not been committed yet
+    arguments << "--cached"; //don't destroy files that have not been committed yet
     execGitCommand(QLatin1String("rm"), arguments,
                    xi18nd("@info:status", "Removing files from <application>Git</application> repository..."),
                    xi18nd("@info:status", "Removing files from <application>Git</application> repository failed."),