diff --git a/playbooks/test-gitea.yaml b/playbooks/test-gitea.yaml
index 323594a89f..18ab376b5f 100644
--- a/playbooks/test-gitea.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/test-gitea.yaml
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@
         cd /home/zuul/src/opendev.org/opendev/system-config
         git remote add test-gitea ssh://git@localhost:222/opendev/system-config
         GIT_SSH_COMMAND='ssh -i /home/zuul/.ssh/id_ed25519' git push -f test-gitea master
+    - name: Clone system-config to check that partial clones aren't breaking stuff
+      shell: |
+        cd /tmp
+        GIT_SSL_NO_VERIFY=1 git clone --filter=blob:none https://localhost:3081/opendev/system-config test-system-config-clone
 
 - name: Run rename playbook
   import_playbook: rename_repos.yaml