diff --git a/contrib/completion/git-prompt.sh b/contrib/completion/git-prompt.sh
index 4640a1535d1596..db7c0068fb55d9 100644
--- a/contrib/completion/git-prompt.sh
+++ b/contrib/completion/git-prompt.sh
@@ -433,8 +433,8 @@ __git_ps1 ()
 	fi
 
 	local sparse=""
-	if [ -z "${GIT_PS1_COMPRESSSPARSESTATE}" ] &&
-	   [ -z "${GIT_PS1_OMITSPARSESTATE}" ] &&
+	if [ -z "${GIT_PS1_COMPRESSSPARSESTATE-}" ] &&
+	   [ -z "${GIT_PS1_OMITSPARSESTATE-}" ] &&
 	   [ "$(git config --bool core.sparseCheckout)" = "true" ]; then
 		sparse="|SPARSE"
 	fi
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ __git_ps1 ()
 			u="%${ZSH_VERSION+%}"
 		fi
 
-		if [ -n "${GIT_PS1_COMPRESSSPARSESTATE}" ] &&
+		if [ -n "${GIT_PS1_COMPRESSSPARSESTATE-}" ] &&
 		   [ "$(git config --bool core.sparseCheckout)" = "true" ]; then
 			h="?"
 		fi