diff --git a/diff.c b/diff.c
index 53f0df75329..efba2789354 100644
--- a/diff.c
+++ b/diff.c
@@ -1176,7 +1176,7 @@ static void mark_color_as_moved(struct diff_options *o,
 	struct moved_block *pmb = NULL; /* potentially moved blocks */
 	int pmb_nr = 0, pmb_alloc = 0;
 	int n, flipped_block = 0, block_length = 0;
-	enum diff_symbol last_symbol = 0;
+	enum diff_symbol moved_symbol = DIFF_SYMBOL_BINARY_DIFF_HEADER;
 
 
 	for (n = 0; n < o->emitted_symbols->nr; n++) {
@@ -1202,7 +1202,7 @@ static void mark_color_as_moved(struct diff_options *o,
 			flipped_block = 0;
 		}
 
-		if (!match) {
+		if (pmb_nr && (!match || l->s != moved_symbol)) {
 			int i;
 
 			if (!adjust_last_block(o, n, block_length) &&
@@ -1219,12 +1219,13 @@ static void mark_color_as_moved(struct diff_options *o,
 			pmb_nr = 0;
 			block_length = 0;
 			flipped_block = 0;
-			last_symbol = l->s;
+		}
+		if (!match) {
+			moved_symbol = DIFF_SYMBOL_BINARY_DIFF_HEADER;
 			continue;
 		}
 
 		if (o->color_moved == COLOR_MOVED_PLAIN) {
-			last_symbol = l->s;
 			l->flags |= DIFF_SYMBOL_MOVED_LINE;
 			continue;
 		}
@@ -1251,11 +1252,16 @@ static void mark_color_as_moved(struct diff_options *o,
 							    &pmb, &pmb_alloc,
 							    &pmb_nr);
 
-			if (contiguous && pmb_nr && last_symbol == l->s)
+			if (contiguous && pmb_nr && moved_symbol == l->s)
 				flipped_block = (flipped_block + 1) % 2;
 			else
 				flipped_block = 0;
 
+			if (pmb_nr)
+				moved_symbol = l->s;
+			else
+				moved_symbol = DIFF_SYMBOL_BINARY_DIFF_HEADER;
+
 			block_length = 0;
 		}
 
@@ -1265,7 +1271,6 @@ static void mark_color_as_moved(struct diff_options *o,
 			if (flipped_block && o->color_moved != COLOR_MOVED_BLOCKS)
 				l->flags |= DIFF_SYMBOL_MOVED_LINE_ALT;
 		}
-		last_symbol = l->s;
 	}
 	adjust_last_block(o, n, block_length);
 
diff --git a/t/t4015-diff-whitespace.sh b/t/t4015-diff-whitespace.sh
index 4e0fd76c6c5..15782c879d2 100755
--- a/t/t4015-diff-whitespace.sh
+++ b/t/t4015-diff-whitespace.sh
@@ -1514,6 +1514,71 @@ test_expect_success 'zebra alternate color is only used when necessary' '
 	test_cmp expected actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'short lines of opposite sign do not get marked as moved' '
+	cat >old.txt <<-\EOF &&
+	this line should be marked as moved
+	unchanged
+	unchanged
+	unchanged
+	unchanged
+	too short
+	this line should be marked as oldMoved newMoved
+	this line should be marked as oldMovedAlternate newMoved
+	unchanged 1
+	unchanged 2
+	unchanged 3
+	unchanged 4
+	this line should be marked as oldMoved newMoved/newMovedAlternate
+	EOF
+	cat >new.txt <<-\EOF &&
+	too short
+	unchanged
+	unchanged
+	this line should be marked as moved
+	too short
+	unchanged
+	unchanged
+	this line should be marked as oldMoved newMoved/newMovedAlternate
+	unchanged 1
+	unchanged 2
+	this line should be marked as oldMovedAlternate newMoved
+	this line should be marked as oldMoved newMoved/newMovedAlternate
+	unchanged 3
+	this line should be marked as oldMoved newMoved
+	unchanged 4
+	EOF
+	test_expect_code 1 git diff --no-index --color --color-moved=zebra \
+		old.txt new.txt >output && cat output &&
+	grep -v index output | test_decode_color >actual &&
+	cat >expect <<-\EOF &&
+	<BOLD>diff --git a/old.txt b/new.txt<RESET>
+	<BOLD>--- a/old.txt<RESET>
+	<BOLD>+++ b/new.txt<RESET>
+	<CYAN>@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@<RESET>
+	<BOLD;MAGENTA>-this line should be marked as moved<RESET>
+	<GREEN>+<RESET><GREEN>too short<RESET>
+	 unchanged<RESET>
+	 unchanged<RESET>
+	<BOLD;CYAN>+<RESET><BOLD;CYAN>this line should be marked as moved<RESET>
+	<GREEN>+<RESET><GREEN>too short<RESET>
+	 unchanged<RESET>
+	 unchanged<RESET>
+	<RED>-too short<RESET>
+	<BOLD;MAGENTA>-this line should be marked as oldMoved newMoved<RESET>
+	<BOLD;BLUE>-this line should be marked as oldMovedAlternate newMoved<RESET>
+	<BOLD;CYAN>+<RESET><BOLD;CYAN>this line should be marked as oldMoved newMoved/newMovedAlternate<RESET>
+	 unchanged 1<RESET>
+	 unchanged 2<RESET>
+	<BOLD;CYAN>+<RESET><BOLD;CYAN>this line should be marked as oldMovedAlternate newMoved<RESET>
+	<BOLD;YELLOW>+<RESET><BOLD;YELLOW>this line should be marked as oldMoved newMoved/newMovedAlternate<RESET>
+	 unchanged 3<RESET>
+	<BOLD;CYAN>+<RESET><BOLD;CYAN>this line should be marked as oldMoved newMoved<RESET>
+	 unchanged 4<RESET>
+	<BOLD;MAGENTA>-this line should be marked as oldMoved newMoved/newMovedAlternate<RESET>
+	EOF
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'cmd option assumes configured colored-moved' '
 	test_config color.diff.oldMoved "magenta" &&
 	test_config color.diff.newMoved "cyan" &&
