diff --git a/src/client/change_list.c b/src/client/change_list.c
index a2c5096..892cef7 100644
--- a/src/client/change_list.c
+++ b/src/client/change_list.c
@@ -141,6 +141,10 @@ static void itemize_code(const Config* config, const ChangeEvent* event, char co
     update = 'h';
   else if (created)
     update = (event->is_directory || event->is_symlink || event->is_special) ? 'c' : '>';
+  else if (event->is_directory)
+    /* rsync: an existing directory that only has attribute changes carries no
+       transfer, so the update column is `.` rather than `>`. */
+    update = '.';
   else
     update = '>';
   code[0] = update;
@@ -168,12 +172,15 @@ static void itemize_code(const Config* config, const ChangeEvent* event, char co
   code[11] = '\0';
 }
 
-/* rsync %n: the transfer-relative name, with a trailing slash for directories. */
+/* rsync %n: the transfer-relative name, with a trailing slash for directories.
+ * The transfer root is `.` (so `%n` renders `./`), matching rsync's root entry. */
 static bool append_name(StrBuf* buf, const ChangeEvent* event) {
-  if (!strbuf_append(buf, event->name != NULL ? event->name : ""))
+  const char* name = event->name != NULL ? event->name : "";
+  if (event->is_directory && name[0] == '\0')
+    return strbuf_append(buf, "./");
+  if (!strbuf_append(buf, name))
     return false;
-  if (event->is_directory && (event->name == NULL || event->name[0] == '\0' ||
-                              event->name[strlen(event->name) - 1] != '/'))
+  if (event->is_directory && name[strlen(name) - 1] != '/')
     return strbuf_append_char(buf, '/');
   return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/client/client_report.c b/src/client/client_report.c
index 08050df..2cbe5df 100644
--- a/src/client/client_report.c
+++ b/src/client/client_report.c
@@ -243,17 +243,31 @@ void transfer_stats_note_transferred(TransferStats* stats, const File* file) {
 #define RSYNC_PROGRESS_IO_WINDOW (32ULL * 1024ULL)
 
 /* Paths-only pre-count of the source file list, built once at transfer start
- * when progress output is requested.  rsync's `to-chk` denominator is the whole
- * file list -- every regular file, directory, symlink and special plus the
- * transfer root -- while the streaming scan never emits directories.  A
- * metadata-only walk (no file reads, no hashing) supplies that total and the
- * directory names, so the opt-in pass leaves non-progress runs untouched. */
+ * when progress output or -i/--out-format needs it.  rsync's `to-chk`
+ * denominator is the whole file list -- every regular file, directory, symlink
+ * and special plus the transfer root -- while the streaming scan only emits
+ * empty directories.  A metadata-only walk (no file reads, no hashing) supplies
+ * that total and a metadata-bearing File for every directory, so --progress can
+ * name them and -i/--out-format can itemize them without a second full scan. */
+/* One directory in the pre-count, keyed by its transfer-relative display name
+ * ("" is the transfer root).  `file` is owned by ProgressPrecount.dir_files and
+ * carries the source metadata needed by -i/--out-format (%M/%B/%U/%G). */
+typedef struct {
+  char* name; /* owned */
+  File* file;
+} DirRef;
+
 typedef struct {
   unsigned long long total;
   ArrayList* dir_paths; /* owned char* in transfer-relative display form */
+  ArrayList* dir_files; /* owned File* captured during the metadata walk */
+  ArrayList* dir_refs;  /* owned DirRef*, sorted by name for prefix lookup */
 } ProgressPrecount;
 
 static bool g_progress_active;
+/* True when -i/--out-format need the pre-counted directory entries fed into the
+ * change-event stream (independent of --progress). */
+static bool g_change_dirs_active;
 static unsigned long long g_progress_xferred;
 static unsigned long long g_progress_index;
 static unsigned long long g_progress_total;
@@ -270,14 +284,101 @@ bool progress_requested(const Config* config) {
          (config->show_progress || (config->info_level & LOG_INFO_PROGRESS) != 0);
 }
 
+static void dir_ref_destroy(void* item) {
+  DirRef* ref = (DirRef*)item;
+  if (ref == NULL)
+    return;
+  free(ref->name);
+  free(ref);
+}
+
+/* Sort DirRef pointers by their transfer-relative name for binary search. */
+static int dir_ref_compare(const void* left, const void* right) {
+  const DirRef* a = *(const DirRef* const*)left;
+  const DirRef* b = *(const DirRef* const*)right;
+  return strcmp(a->name, b->name);
+}
+
+/* Look up the pre-counted directory File for a transfer-relative name ("" is
+ * the transfer root).  Returns NULL when no pre-count was built or the name is
+ * not a known directory. */
+static File* progress_dir_lookup(const char* name) {
+  if (name == NULL || g_progress_precount.dir_refs == NULL)
+    return NULL;
+  ArrayList* refs = g_progress_precount.dir_refs;
+  size_t lo = 0;
+  size_t hi = (size_t)refs->size;
+  while (lo < hi) {
+    size_t mid = lo + (hi - lo) / 2;
+    DirRef* ref = (DirRef*)refs->items[mid];
+    int cmp = strcmp(ref->name, name);
+    if (cmp < 0)
+      lo = mid + 1;
+    else if (cmp > 0)
+      hi = mid;
+    else
+      return ref->file;
+  }
+  return NULL;
+}
+
 static void progress_precount_dispose(ProgressPrecount* p) {
   if (p->dir_paths != NULL) {
     array_list_delete(p->dir_paths);
     p->dir_paths = NULL;
   }
+  if (p->dir_files != NULL) {
+    array_list_delete(p->dir_files);
+    p->dir_files = NULL;
+  }
+  if (p->dir_refs != NULL) {
+    array_list_delete(p->dir_refs);
+    p->dir_refs = NULL;
+  }
   p->total = 0;
 }
 
+/* Record the transfer root's pre-transfer state for -i/--out-format.  The
+ * receive root always exists, so rsync never marks it `cd`; its only observable
+ * change is its timestamp, which FastSync cannot observe remotely.  Force a time
+ * mismatch so the root renders rsync's `.d..t...... ./` rather than the `cd`
+ * a zeroed destination state would produce. */
+static void progress_precount_mark_root(File* root) {
+  if (root == NULL)
+    return;
+  root->dest_state.known = true;
+  root->dest_state.existed = true;
+  root->dest_state.mode = root->metadata != NULL ? root->metadata->mode : 0;
+  root->dest_state.uid = root->metadata != NULL ? root->metadata->uid : 0;
+  root->dest_state.gid = root->metadata != NULL ? root->metadata->gid : 0;
+  root->dest_state.size = 0;
+  root->dest_state.mtime_sec = (root->metadata != NULL ? root->metadata->mtime_sec : 0) - 3600;
+  root->dest_state.mtime_nsec = root->metadata != NULL ? root->metadata->mtime_nsec : 0;
+}
+
+/* Append one DirRef (name -> file) to the pre-count, marking the transfer
+ * root's destination state.  Returns false on allocation failure. */
+static bool progress_precount_add_ref(ProgressPrecount* p, const Config* config, File* file) {
+  const char* rel = delete_display_path(config, file_wire_path(file));
+  char* name = rel != NULL ? str_dup(rel) : NULL;
+  if (name == NULL)
+    return false;
+  DirRef* ref = malloc(sizeof(*ref));
+  if (ref == NULL) {
+    free(name);
+    return false;
+  }
+  ref->name = name;
+  ref->file = file;
+  if (name[0] == '\0')
+    progress_precount_mark_root(file);
+  if (!array_list_add(p->dir_refs, ref)) {
+    dir_ref_destroy(ref);
+    return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
 void client_progress_cleanup(void) {
   if (g_progress_dir_index_valid) {
     path_index_free(&g_progress_dir_index);
@@ -293,6 +394,7 @@ void client_progress_cleanup(void) {
   }
   progress_precount_dispose(&g_progress_precount);
   g_progress_active = false;
+  g_change_dirs_active = false;
   g_progress_total = 0;
   g_progress_index = 0;
   g_progress_xferred = 0;
@@ -395,6 +497,11 @@ void print_delete_reports(const Config* config, const ArrayList* paths) {
   fflush(stdout);
 }
 
+/* Emit every not-yet-seen ancestor directory of `rel`, outermost first, in the
+ * order rsync's depth-first flist walk visits them.  With -i/--out-format each
+ * ancestor becomes a real change line (`cd+++++++++ sub/`, `.d..t...... ./`)
+ * rendered by the shared itemize code; otherwise it is the `--info=name` /
+ * --progress directory name line. */
 static void client_progress_emit_ancestors(const Config* config, const char* rel) {
   if (!g_progress_dir_index_valid || !g_progress_emitted_valid || g_progress_emitted_keys == NULL ||
       rel == NULL)
@@ -413,9 +520,15 @@ static void client_progress_emit_ancestors(const Config* config, const char* rel
       char* key = str_dup(prefix);
       if (key != NULL && array_list_add(g_progress_emitted_keys, key)) {
         str_hash_set_insert_ref(&g_progress_emitted, key);
-        char* escaped = output_escape(prefix, config->eight_bit_output);
-        printf("%s/\n", escaped ? escaped : prefix);
-        free(escaped);
+        if (g_change_dirs_active) {
+          File* dir = progress_dir_lookup(prefix);
+          if (dir != NULL)
+            change_emit_dir_sent(config, dir);
+        } else {
+          char* escaped = output_escape(prefix, config->eight_bit_output);
+          printf("%s/\n", escaped ? escaped : prefix);
+          free(escaped);
+        }
         g_progress_index++;
       } else {
         free(key);
@@ -425,6 +538,20 @@ static void client_progress_emit_ancestors(const Config* config, const char* rel
   }
 }
 
+/* Feed a transferred entry's ancestor directories into the change-event stream
+ * before the entry's own line, so -i/--out-format and --progress report
+ * directories in rsync's depth-first order.  Every directory is an ancestor of
+ * some emitted entry (a file, symlink, special, hard link or the empty-directory
+ * entry the scanner emits for a leaf), so this covers the whole tree. */
+void client_change_emit_ancestors(const Config* config, const File* file) {
+  if (config == NULL || file == NULL)
+    return;
+  if (!g_progress_active && !g_change_dirs_active)
+    return;
+  const char* rel = delete_display_path(config, file_wire_path(file));
+  client_progress_emit_ancestors(config, rel);
+}
+
 /* rsync's --info=name/progress line for one entry: transfer-relative name (a
  * trailing slash for directories) plus the ` -> target` symlink suffix. */
 static char* progress_entry_line(const File* file, const char* rel) {
@@ -462,7 +589,7 @@ void client_progress_begin(const Config* config) {
   g_progress_active = progress_requested(config);
   g_progress_xferred = 0;
   g_progress_index = 1; /* the transfer root is file-list entry #0 */
-  if (!g_progress_active) {
+  if (!g_progress_active && !g_change_dirs_active) {
     /* `--info=flist` prints rsync's file-list header even without progress. */
     if (!config->quiet && info_flag_enabled(config, LOG_INFO_FLIST)) {
       printf("sending incremental file list\n");
@@ -470,11 +597,18 @@ void client_progress_begin(const Config* config) {
     }
     return;
   }
-  printf("sending incremental file list\n");
-  /* rsync prints the transfer-root directory's name before the first file when
-     that directory is created; FastSync mirrors the source root below the
-     receive root and creates it on a fresh destination, so emit it here. */
-  printf("./\n");
+  if (g_progress_active)
+    printf("sending incremental file list\n");
+  /* rsync prints the transfer-root directory before the first entry.  Under
+     -i/--out-format it is the root change line (`.d..t...... ./`); otherwise it
+     is the plain --info=name / --progress name line. */
+  if (g_change_dirs_active) {
+    File* root = progress_dir_lookup("");
+    if (root != NULL)
+      change_emit_dir_sent(config, root);
+  } else {
+    printf("./\n");
+  }
   fflush(stdout);
 }
 
@@ -487,7 +621,6 @@ void client_progress_file(const Config* config, const File* file) {
   unsigned long long size = file->data->size;
   if (!config->itemize_changes && config->out_format == NULL) {
     const char* rel = delete_display_path(config, file_wire_path(file));
-    client_progress_emit_ancestors(config, rel);
     char* escaped = output_escape(rel, config->eight_bit_output);
     printf("%s\n", escaped ? escaped : (rel ? rel : ""));
     free(escaped);
@@ -510,7 +643,6 @@ void client_progress_name(const Config* config, const File* file) {
     return;
   const char* rel = delete_display_path(config, file_wire_path(file));
   if (!config->itemize_changes && config->out_format == NULL) {
-    client_progress_emit_ancestors(config, rel);
     char* line = progress_entry_line(file, rel ? rel : "");
     if (line != NULL) {
       char* escaped = output_escape(line, config->eight_bit_output);
@@ -550,8 +682,12 @@ static bool progress_precount_add_dir(ProgressPrecount* p, const char* path) {
  * so the data pass's link-group state is never perturbed. */
 static bool progress_precount_scan(const Config* config, ProgressPrecount* out) {
   out->dir_paths = array_list_create(free);
-  if (out->dir_paths == NULL)
+  out->dir_files = array_list_create(file_destroy);
+  out->dir_refs = array_list_create(dir_ref_destroy);
+  if (out->dir_paths == NULL || out->dir_files == NULL || out->dir_refs == NULL) {
+    progress_precount_dispose(out);
     return false;
+  }
   out->total = 0;
   PreparedScanner prepared;
   memset(&prepared, 0, sizeof(prepared));
@@ -568,12 +704,14 @@ static bool progress_precount_scan(const Config* config, ProgressPrecount* out)
   local.preserve_xattrs = false;
   local.preserve_acls = false;
   local.checksum = false;
-  local.capture_dir_times = false;
+  /* Capture one metadata-bearing File per traversed directory (including the
+     transfer root) so -i/--out-format can render %M/%B/%U/%G for directories. */
+  local.capture_dir_times = true;
   local.excluded_paths = NULL;
   local.size_skipped_paths = NULL;
   local.synced_dirs = NULL;
   local.plan_dirs = NULL;
-  local.dir_entries = NULL;
+  local.dir_entries = out->dir_files;
   local.dir_entries_mutex = NULL;
   local.hardlinks = NULL;
   DirectoryScanner* scanner = directory_scanner_create_with_options(config->send_directory, &local);
@@ -598,6 +736,18 @@ static bool progress_precount_scan(const Config* config, ProgressPrecount* out)
     progress_precount_dispose(out);
     return false;
   }
+  /* Build the name -> File lookup from the captured directory Files. */
+  for (int i = 0; i < out->dir_files->size; i++) {
+    File* f = (File*)out->dir_files->items[i];
+    if (f == NULL)
+      continue;
+    if (!progress_precount_add_ref(out, config, f)) {
+      progress_precount_dispose(out);
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+  if (out->dir_refs->size > 1)
+    qsort(out->dir_refs->items, (size_t)out->dir_refs->size, sizeof(DirRef*), dir_ref_compare);
   out->total += 1; /* the transfer root "." */
   return true;
 }
@@ -609,9 +759,26 @@ static bool progress_precount_from_plan_dirs(const Config* config, const ArrayLi
                                              unsigned long long non_dir_count,
                                              ProgressPrecount* out) {
   out->dir_paths = array_list_create(free);
-  if (out->dir_paths == NULL)
+  out->dir_files = array_list_create(file_destroy);
+  out->dir_refs = array_list_create(dir_ref_destroy);
+  if (out->dir_paths == NULL || out->dir_files == NULL || out->dir_refs == NULL) {
+    progress_precount_dispose(out);
     return false;
+  }
   out->total = non_dir_count + 1;
+  /* The delete pre-scan's plan list omits the transfer root, so synthesize its
+     entry here; it is only used for the root change line. */
+  File* root = file_create("");
+  if (root == NULL || !array_list_add(out->dir_files, root)) {
+    file_destroy(root);
+    progress_precount_dispose(out);
+    return false;
+  }
+  root->is_dir = true;
+  if (!progress_precount_add_ref(out, config, root)) {
+    progress_precount_dispose(out);
+    return false;
+  }
   for (int i = 0; i < plan_dirs->size; i++) {
     const char* path = (const char*)plan_dirs->items[i];
     const char* rel = config->send_directory != NULL
@@ -621,7 +788,25 @@ static bool progress_precount_from_plan_dirs(const Config* config, const ArrayLi
       progress_precount_dispose(out);
       return false;
     }
+    File* dir = file_create("");
+    if (dir == NULL) {
+      progress_precount_dispose(out);
+      return false;
+    }
+    dir->is_dir = true;
+    dir->send_path = str_dup(rel != NULL ? rel : "");
+    if (dir->send_path == NULL || !array_list_add(out->dir_files, dir)) {
+      file_destroy(dir);
+      progress_precount_dispose(out);
+      return false;
+    }
+    if (!progress_precount_add_ref(out, config, dir)) {
+      progress_precount_dispose(out);
+      return false;
+    }
   }
+  if (out->dir_refs->size > 1)
+    qsort(out->dir_refs->items, (size_t)out->dir_refs->size, sizeof(DirRef*), dir_ref_compare);
   out->total += (unsigned long long)out->dir_paths->size;
   return true;
 }
@@ -633,7 +818,8 @@ void client_progress_prepare(const Config* config, const ArrayList* plan_dirs,
                              unsigned long long plan_non_dir_count) {
   client_progress_cleanup();
   g_progress_active = progress_requested(config);
-  if (!g_progress_active)
+  g_change_dirs_active = config->itemize_changes || config->out_format != NULL;
+  if (!g_progress_active && !g_change_dirs_active)
     return;
   bool ok = plan_dirs != NULL ? progress_precount_from_plan_dirs(
                                     config, plan_dirs, plan_non_dir_count, &g_progress_precount)
diff --git a/src/client/client_send.c b/src/client/client_send.c
index 3b9d623..9bb783f 100644
--- a/src/client/client_send.c
+++ b/src/client/client_send.c
@@ -838,6 +838,10 @@ static int send_chunk_with_removal(Client* client, Chunk* chunk, Config* config,
       if (chunk->items[i] == NULL)
         continue;
       transfer_stats_note_entry(stats, chunk->items[i]);
+      /* The chunk-serialization path emits no --progress name lines, so only
+         feed -i/--out-format its ancestor directory lines here. */
+      if (config->itemize_changes || config->out_format != NULL)
+        client_change_emit_ancestors(config, chunk->items[i]);
       if (chunk->items[i]->is_dir)
         change_emit_dir_sent(config, chunk->items[i]);
       else
@@ -859,6 +863,7 @@ static int send_chunk_with_removal(Client* client, Chunk* chunk, Config* config,
          source to remove and no incremental check. */
       if (!send_directory_entry(client, f, config))
         return -1;
+      client_change_emit_ancestors(config, f);
       change_emit_dir_sent(config, f);
       client_progress_name(config, f);
       continue;
@@ -873,6 +878,7 @@ static int send_chunk_with_removal(Client* client, Chunk* chunk, Config* config,
           !send_int(client->file_descriptor, f->link_group) ||
           !send_wire_str(client->file_descriptor, f->hardlink_target))
         return -1;
+      client_change_emit_ancestors(config, f);
       change_emit_file_sent(config, f);
       client_progress_name(config, f);
       continue;
@@ -881,6 +887,7 @@ static int send_chunk_with_removal(Client* client, Chunk* chunk, Config* config,
     if (f->is_symlink) {
       if (!send_symlink_entry(client, f, config))
         return -1;
+      client_change_emit_ancestors(config, f);
       change_emit_file_sent(config, f);
       client_progress_name(config, f);
       continue;
@@ -890,6 +897,7 @@ static int send_chunk_with_removal(Client* client, Chunk* chunk, Config* config,
     if (f->is_special) {
       if (!file_send_special(f, client->file_descriptor, config->use_metadata))
         return -1;
+      client_change_emit_ancestors(config, f);
       change_emit_file_sent(config, f);
       client_progress_name(config, f);
       continue;
@@ -913,6 +921,7 @@ static int send_chunk_with_removal(Client* client, Chunk* chunk, Config* config,
       return -1;
     }
     transfer_stats_note_transferred(stats, f);
+    client_change_emit_ancestors(config, f);
     change_emit_file_sent_bytes(config, f, protocol_bytes_written() - bytes_before,
                                 protocol_bytes_read() - read_before);
     client_progress_file(config, f);
@@ -1567,7 +1576,10 @@ static bool send_files_prepare_delete(Config* config, SendFilesState* state) {
  * runs the shared cleanup). */
 static bool send_files_run(Config* config, SendFilesState* state) {
   Client* client = state->client;
-  if (progress_requested(config))
+  /* --progress needs the file-list total; -i/--out-format needs the directory
+     entries.  Either way one paths-only pre-count supplies both, and a
+     --delete-during/--delete-delay pre-scan is reused when present. */
+  if (progress_requested(config) || config->itemize_changes || config->out_format != NULL)
     client_progress_prepare(config, state->plan_dirs, state->per_dir_non_dir_count);
   /* Phase 6: compute the client-only stop deadline once at transfer start.  The
      early-delete pre-scan above deliberately ignores it so the keep-set (and
@@ -2045,9 +2057,10 @@ int send_files_multithreaded(Config* config) {
     return 1;
   }
   /* --progress/--info=progress: pre-count the file list for rsync's to-chk
-     denominator, reusing a --delete-during/--delete-delay pre-scan when one
+     denominator; -i/--out-format: pre-count the directory entries.  One pass
+     supplies both, reusing a --delete-during/--delete-delay pre-scan when one
      already ran. */
-  if (progress_requested(config))
+  if (progress_requested(config) || config->itemize_changes || config->out_format != NULL)
     client_progress_prepare(config, context->plan_dirs, pre_scan_non_dir);
 
   thrd_t scanner, loader, sender;
diff --git a/src/client/client_send_internal.h b/src/client/client_send_internal.h
index 6d042b5..d82d45d 100644
--- a/src/client/client_send_internal.h
+++ b/src/client/client_send_internal.h
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ void client_progress_cleanup(void);
 void client_progress_begin(const Config* config);
 void client_progress_file(const Config* config, const File* file);
 void client_progress_name(const Config* config, const File* file);
+/* Emit a transferred entry's ancestor directories (as -i/--out-format change
+ * lines or --progress name lines) before the entry's own line. */
+void client_change_emit_ancestors(const Config* config, const File* file);
 void client_progress_uptodate(const Config* config, const File* file);
 void client_progress_prepare(const Config* config, const ArrayList* plan_dirs,
                              unsigned long long plan_non_dir_count);
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_features.py b/tests/integration/test_features.py
index e60d8c7..03fcb9e 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_features.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_features.py
@@ -2786,7 +2786,12 @@ class TestItemizeChanges:
                                flags=["--preserve", "-i", "--incremental"],
                                port=shared_server.port)
         assert result.returncode == 0, f"incremental itemize failed: {result.stderr[:200]}"
-        itemized = [line for line in result.stdout.splitlines() if line and line[0] in ">.<c"]
+        # -i also emits the transfer-root and directory lines; only FILE entries
+        # matter here, so drop any line whose name has a trailing '/'.
+        itemized = [
+            line for line in result.stdout.splitlines()
+            if line and line[0] in ">.<c" and not line.rsplit(" ", 1)[-1].endswith("/")
+        ]
         assert itemized == [], f"unchanged files were itemized: {itemized[:5]}"
 
     def test_multithreaded_emits_same_itemize_lines(self, shared_server):
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_output_parity.py b/tests/integration/test_output_parity.py
index 0710d78..b3b2f89 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_output_parity.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_output_parity.py
@@ -26,6 +26,17 @@ def _rsync(args):
     )
 
 
+def _file_entry_line(text):
+    """The file entry line for a single-file transfer.
+
+    -i/--out-format emit the transfer-root (and directory) lines too, so the
+    file entry is not necessarily the first line; for the one-file corpora used
+    by the wire-counter tests it is the last non-empty line.
+    """
+    lines = [line for line in text.splitlines() if line.strip()]
+    return lines[-1] if lines else ""
+
+
 def _make_selection_tree(root):
     clean_dir(root)
     os.makedirs(os.path.join(root, "sub"))
@@ -184,6 +195,51 @@ class TestItemizeParity:
         )
         assert fast_lines == rsync_lines, f"rsync={rsync_lines} fastsync={fast_lines}"
 
+    @requires_rsync
+    @pytest.mark.ci
+    def test_itemize_directory_lines_match_rsync(self, shared_server):
+        """#292: -i/--out-format emit rsync's directory lines (including the
+        transfer root) in rsync's depth-first order."""
+        source = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "out_itemdir_src")
+        dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "out_itemdir_dst")
+        rdst = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "out_itemdir_rdst")
+        clean_dir(source)
+        os.makedirs(os.path.join(source, "sub", "deep"))
+        os.makedirs(os.path.join(source, "emptydir"))
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "a.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"hello\n")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "sub", "b.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"world\n")
+        with open(os.path.join(source, "sub", "deep", "d.txt"), "wb") as fh:
+            fh.write(b"deep\n")
+        clean_dir(dest)
+        clean_dir(rdst)
+
+        def dir_lines(text):
+            # Any line whose name ends with '/' is a directory entry.
+            return sorted(
+                line for line in text.splitlines()
+                if line.rsplit(" ", 1)[-1].endswith("/")
+            )
+
+        for fmt in (None, "%i %n%L"):
+            rsync_flags = ["-a", "-i"] if fmt is None else ["-a", "--out-format=" + fmt]
+            fast_flags = rsync_flags
+            clean_dir(rdst)
+            clean_dir(dest)
+            rsync_result = _rsync(rsync_flags + [source + "/", rdst + "/"])
+            assert rsync_result.returncode == 0, rsync_result.stderr
+            result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=fast_flags,
+                                   port=shared_server.port)
+            assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
+            expected = [l for l in dir_lines(rsync_result.stdout)
+                        if not l.rsplit(" ", 1)[-1] == "./"]
+            fast = dir_lines(result.stdout)
+            assert [l for l in fast if not l.rsplit(" ", 1)[-1] == "./"] == expected, (
+                f"fmt={fmt} rsync={rsync_result.stdout!r} fastsync={result.stdout!r}"
+            )
+            assert ".d..t...... ./" in fast, f"missing root line: {result.stdout!r}"
+
     @requires_rsync
     @pytest.mark.ci
     def test_itemize_modified_file_matches_rsync(self, shared_server):
@@ -387,8 +443,8 @@ class TestWireStatsParity:
         result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=["-a", "--out-format=" + fmt],
                                port=shared_server.port)
         assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
-        rb, rl = (int(x) for x in rsync_result.stdout.split()[:2])
-        fb, fl = (int(x) for x in result.stdout.split()[:2])
+        rb, rl = (int(x) for x in _file_entry_line(rsync_result.stdout).split()[:2])
+        fb, fl = (int(x) for x in _file_entry_line(result.stdout).split()[:2])
         assert rl == fl == 5000, (rsync_result.stdout, result.stdout)
         assert rb > rl, f"rsync %b must include framing: {rsync_result.stdout!r}"
         assert fb > fl, f"fastsync %b must include framing: {result.stdout!r}"
@@ -421,7 +477,9 @@ class TestWireStatsParity:
         assert file_lines(result.stdout) == file_lines(rsync_result.stdout), (
             f"rsync={rsync_result.stdout!r} fastsync={result.stdout!r}"
         )
-        assert result.stdout.split()[0] == rsync_result.stdout.split()[0] == "16", (
+        fs_c = _file_entry_line(result.stdout).split()[0]
+        rs_c = _file_entry_line(rsync_result.stdout).split()[0]
+        assert fs_c == rs_c == "16", (
             f"%c must be rsync's 16-byte sum header: {result.stdout!r}"
         )
 
@@ -450,8 +508,8 @@ class TestWireStatsParity:
                                       "--out-format=" + fmt],
                                port=shared_server.port)
         assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[:300]
-        rs_c = int(rsync_result.stdout.split()[0])
-        fs_c = int(result.stdout.split()[0])
+        rs_c = int(_file_entry_line(rsync_result.stdout).split()[0])
+        fs_c = int(_file_entry_line(result.stdout).split()[0])
         # No basis exists, so rsync still reports only its sum header.
         assert rs_c == 16, rsync_result.stdout
         # FastSync reports its own handshake bytes and is not aligned.