diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/BitmapIndexImpl.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/BitmapIndexImpl.java
index 184a9c1dd..a8c8aaebc 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/BitmapIndexImpl.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/BitmapIndexImpl.java
@@ -119,10 +119,10 @@ public class BitmapIndexImpl implements BitmapIndex {
 		return position;
 	}
 
-	int addObject(AnyObjectId objectId, int type) {
+	int findOrInsert(AnyObjectId objectId, int type) {
 		int position = findPosition(objectId);
 		if (position < 0) {
-			position = mutableIndex.addObject(objectId, type);
+			position = mutableIndex.findOrInsert(objectId, type);
 			position += indexObjectCount;
 		}
 		return position;
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ public class BitmapIndexImpl implements BitmapIndex {
 
 		@Override
 		public boolean add(AnyObjectId objectId, int type) {
-			int position = addObject(objectId, type);
+			int position = findOrInsert(objectId, type);
 			if (bitset.contains(position))
 				return false;
 
@@ -235,6 +235,12 @@ public class BitmapIndexImpl implements BitmapIndex {
 			return 0 <= position && bitset.contains(position);
 		}
 
+		@Override
+		public BitmapBuilder addObject(AnyObjectId objectId, int type) {
+			bitset.set(findOrInsert(objectId, type));
+			return this;
+		}
+
 		@Override
 		public void remove(AnyObjectId objectId) {
 			int position = findPosition(objectId);
@@ -446,7 +452,7 @@ public class BitmapIndexImpl implements BitmapIndex {
 			}
 		}
 
-		int addObject(AnyObjectId objectId, int type) {
+		int findOrInsert(AnyObjectId objectId, int type) {
 			MutableEntry entry = new MutableEntry(
 					objectId, type, revList.size());
 			revList.add(entry);
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/BitmapIndex.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/BitmapIndex.java
index 3c0e2c128..a4b4b6ef2 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/BitmapIndex.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/BitmapIndex.java
@@ -125,7 +125,9 @@ public interface BitmapIndex {
 		 * @param type
 		 *            the Git object type. See {@link Constants}.
 		 * @return true if the value was not contained or able to be loaded.
+		 * @deprecated use {@link #or} or {@link #addObject} instead.
 		 */
+		@Deprecated
 		boolean add(AnyObjectId objectId, int type);
 
 		/**
@@ -137,6 +139,18 @@ public interface BitmapIndex {
 		 */
 		boolean contains(AnyObjectId objectId);
 
+		/**
+		 * Adds the id to the bitmap.
+		 *
+		 * @param objectId
+		 *            the object ID
+		 * @param type
+		 *            the Git object type. See {@link Constants}.
+		 * @return the current builder.
+		 * @since 4.2
+		 */
+		BitmapBuilder addObject(AnyObjectId objectId, int type);
+
 		/**
 		 * Remove the id from the bitmap.
 		 *