diff --git a/Backend/Hash.hs b/Backend/Hash.hs
index a100de9896..d4d84db0d4 100644
--- a/Backend/Hash.hs
+++ b/Backend/Hash.hs
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ import Types.Backend
 import Types.KeySource
 import Utility.Hash
 import Utility.Metered
-import qualified Utility.RawFilePath as R
 
 import qualified Data.ByteString as S
 import qualified Data.ByteString.Short as S (toShort, fromShort)
@@ -129,14 +128,9 @@ keyValueE hash source meterupdate =
 
 checkKeyChecksum :: (Key -> String -> Bool) -> Hash -> Key -> RawFilePath -> Annex Bool
 checkKeyChecksum issame hash key file = catchIOErrorType HardwareFault hwfault $ do
-	fast <- Annex.getRead Annex.fast
-	exists <- liftIO $ R.doesPathExist file
-	case (exists, fast) of
-		(True, False) -> do
-			showAction (UnquotedString descChecksum)
-			issame key 
-				<$> hashFile hash file nullMeterUpdate
-		_ -> return True
+	showAction (UnquotedString descChecksum)
+	issame key 
+		<$> hashFile hash file nullMeterUpdate
   where
 	hwfault e = do
 		warning $ UnquotedString $ "hardware fault: " ++ show e
diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 224c735dbf..7602a13b8a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ git-annex (10.20240431) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
   * git-remote-annex: New program which allows pushing a git repo to a
     git-annex special remote, and cloning from a special remote.
     (Based on Michael Hanke's git-remote-datalad-annex.)
+  * fsck: Fix recent reversion that made it say it was checksumming files
+    whose content is not present.
+  * Avoid the --fast option preventing checksumming in some cases it
+    was not supposed to.
   * Typo fixes.
     Thanks, Yaroslav Halchenko
 
diff --git a/Command/Fsck.hs b/Command/Fsck.hs
index 344d21ac81..f08d09f89f 100644
--- a/Command/Fsck.hs
+++ b/Command/Fsck.hs
@@ -504,16 +504,19 @@ checkKeyUpgrade _ _ _ (AssociatedFile Nothing) =
 checkBackend :: Key -> KeyStatus -> AssociatedFile -> Annex Bool
 checkBackend key keystatus afile = do
 	content <- calcRepo (gitAnnexLocation key)
-	ifM (pure (isKeyUnlockedThin keystatus) <&&> (not <$> isUnmodified key content))
-		( nocheck
-		, do
-			mic <- withTSDelta (liftIO . genInodeCache content)
-			ifM (checkBackendOr badContent key content ai)
-				( do
-					checkInodeCache key content mic ai
-					return True
-				, return False
-				)
+	ifM (liftIO $ R.doesPathExist content)
+		( ifM (pure (isKeyUnlockedThin keystatus) <&&> (not <$> isUnmodified key content))
+			( nocheck
+			, do
+				mic <- withTSDelta (liftIO . genInodeCache content)
+				ifM (checkBackendOr badContent key content ai)
+					( do
+						checkInodeCache key content mic ai
+						return True
+					, return False
+					)
+			)
+		, nocheck
 		)
   where
 	nocheck = return True
@@ -525,14 +528,18 @@ checkBackendRemote key remote ai localcopy =
 	checkBackendOr (badContentRemote remote localcopy) key localcopy ai
 
 checkBackendOr :: (Key -> Annex String) -> Key -> RawFilePath -> ActionItem -> Annex Bool
-checkBackendOr bad key file ai = do
-	ok <- verifyKeyContent' key file
-	unless ok $ do
-		msg <- bad key
-		warning $ actionItemDesc ai
-			<> ": Bad file content; "
-			<> UnquotedString msg
-	return ok
+checkBackendOr bad key file ai =
+	ifM (Annex.getRead Annex.fast)
+		( return True
+		, do
+			ok <- verifyKeyContent' key file
+			unless ok $ do
+				msg <- bad key
+				warning $ actionItemDesc ai
+					<> ": Bad file content; "
+					<> UnquotedString msg
+			return ok
+		)
 
 {- Check, if there are InodeCaches recorded for a key, that one of them
  - matches the object file. There are situations where the InodeCache
diff --git a/doc/bugs/adjust_or_sync_in_unlock-present_repo_removes_+x_permission.mdwn b/doc/bugs/adjust_or_sync_in_unlock-present_repo_removes_+x_permission.mdwn
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5dd73cc7a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/bugs/adjust_or_sync_in_unlock-present_repo_removes_+x_permission.mdwn
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+It seems that performing `git annex adjust --unlock-present` or `sync` 
+will remove the +x permission from files.
+
+Steps to reproduce:
+
+$ mkdir /tmp/ga; cd /tmp/ga; git init ; git annex init
+$ touch a.txt s.sh
+$ chmod +x s.sh
+$ git annex add . && git annex sync
+$ stat -Lc%A s.sh
+-r-xr-xr-x
+$ git annex adjust --unlock-present
+$ stat -c%A s.sh
+-rw-r--r--
+
+The permission is removed also after a sync, but only in case other 
+files have been changed (and adjust called behind the scenes):
+
+$ chmod +x s.sh
+$ git annex sync
+$ stat -c%A s.sh
+-rwxr-xr-x
+$ git annex drop --force a.txt
+$ stat -c%A s.sh
+-rwxr-xr-x
+$ git annex sync
+$ stat -c%A s.sh
+-rw-r--r--
+
+I'm using git-annex version: 10.20240430-g5b36e6b4 with 
+annex.alwayscommit = false.
+
+PS: git-annex is so solid that this is the first data-related issue I've 
+ever seen. Kudos!