diff --git a/hgext/sparse.py b/hgext/sparse.py
--- a/hgext/sparse.py
+++ b/hgext/sparse.py
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ from mercurial.pycompat import setattr
 from mercurial import (
     cmdutil,
     commands,
-    dirstate,
     error,
     extensions,
     logcmdutil,
@@ -104,7 +103,6 @@ def extsetup(ui):
     _setupclone(ui)
     _setuplog(ui)
     _setupadd(ui)
-    _setupdirstate(ui)
 
 
 def replacefilecache(cls, propname, replacement):
@@ -207,40 +205,6 @@ def _setupadd(ui):
     extensions.wrapcommand(commands.table, b'add', _add)
 
 
-def _setupdirstate(ui):
-    """Modify the dirstate to prevent stat'ing excluded files,
-    and to prevent modifications to files outside the checkout.
-    """
-
-    # Prevent adding files that are outside the sparse checkout
-    editfuncs = [
-        b'set_tracked',
-        b'copy',
-    ]
-    hint = _(
-        b'include file with `hg debugsparse --include <pattern>` or use '
-        + b'`hg add -s <file>` to include file directory while adding'
-    )
-    for func in editfuncs:
-
-        def _wrapper(orig, self, *args, **kwargs):
-            sparsematch = self._sparsematcher
-            if sparsematch is not None and not sparsematch.always():
-                for f in args:
-                    if f is not None and not sparsematch(f) and f not in self:
-                        raise error.Abort(
-                            _(
-                                b"cannot add '%s' - it is outside "
-                                b"the sparse checkout"
-                            )
-                            % f,
-                            hint=hint,
-                        )
-            return orig(self, *args, **kwargs)
-
-        extensions.wrapfunction(dirstate.dirstate, func, _wrapper)
-
-
 @command(
     b'debugsparse',
     [
diff --git a/mercurial/dirstate.py b/mercurial/dirstate.py
--- a/mercurial/dirstate.py
+++ b/mercurial/dirstate.py
@@ -427,6 +427,7 @@ class dirstate:
             return
         self._dirty = True
         if source is not None:
+            self._check_sparse(source)
             self._map.copymap[dest] = source
         else:
             self._map.copymap.pop(dest, None)
@@ -588,6 +589,19 @@ class dirstate:
                 msg = _(b'file %r in dirstate clashes with %r')
                 msg %= (pycompat.bytestr(d), pycompat.bytestr(filename))
                 raise error.Abort(msg)
+        self._check_sparse(filename)
+
+    def _check_sparse(self, filename):
+        """Check that a filename is inside the sparse profile"""
+        sparsematch = self._sparsematcher
+        if sparsematch is not None and not sparsematch.always():
+            if not sparsematch(filename):
+                msg = _(b"cannot add '%s' - it is outside the sparse checkout")
+                hint = _(
+                    b'include file with `hg debugsparse --include <pattern>` or use '
+                    b'`hg add -s <file>` to include file directory while adding'
+                )
+                raise error.Abort(msg % filename, hint=hint)
 
     def _discoverpath(self, path, normed, ignoremissing, exists, storemap):
         if exists is None: