diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ebbf78ef4..4d38ecc2f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 * The `git_head` template keyword now returns an optional value instead of a
   list of 0 or 1 element.
 
+* The `jj sparse set --edit` was split up into `jj sparse edit`.
+
 * The `jj sparse` subcommands now parse and print patterns as workspace-relative
   paths.
 
diff --git a/cli/src/commands/sparse.rs b/cli/src/commands/sparse.rs
index edd014567..4a2e10784 100644
--- a/cli/src/commands/sparse.rs
+++ b/cli/src/commands/sparse.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ use crate::ui::Ui;
 pub(crate) enum SparseArgs {
     List(SparseListArgs),
     Set(SparseSetArgs),
+    Edit(SparseEditArgs),
 }
 
 /// List the patterns that are currently present in the working copy
@@ -72,14 +73,15 @@ pub(crate) struct SparseSetArgs {
     /// Include no files in the working copy (combine with --add)
     #[arg(long)]
     clear: bool,
-    /// Edit patterns with $EDITOR
-    #[arg(long)]
-    edit: bool,
     /// Include all files in the working copy
     #[arg(long, conflicts_with_all = &["add", "remove", "clear"])]
     reset: bool,
 }
 
+/// Start an editor to update the patterns that are present in the working copy
+#[derive(clap::Args, Clone, Debug)]
+pub(crate) struct SparseEditArgs {}
+
 #[instrument(skip_all)]
 pub(crate) fn cmd_sparse(
     ui: &mut Ui,
@@ -89,6 +91,7 @@ pub(crate) fn cmd_sparse(
     match args {
         SparseArgs::List(sub_args) => cmd_sparse_list(ui, command, sub_args),
         SparseArgs::Set(sub_args) => cmd_sparse_set(ui, command, sub_args),
+        SparseArgs::Edit(sub_args) => cmd_sparse_edit(ui, command, sub_args),
     }
 }
 
@@ -112,7 +115,6 @@ fn cmd_sparse_set(
     args: &SparseSetArgs,
 ) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
     let mut workspace_command = command.workspace_helper(ui)?;
-    let repo_path = workspace_command.repo().repo_path().to_owned();
     update_sparse_patterns_with(ui, &mut workspace_command, |_ui, old_patterns| {
         let mut new_patterns = HashSet::new();
         if args.reset {
@@ -128,12 +130,21 @@ fn cmd_sparse_set(
                 new_patterns.insert(path.to_owned());
             }
         }
-        let mut new_patterns = new_patterns.into_iter().collect_vec();
-        new_patterns.sort();
-        if args.edit {
-            new_patterns = edit_sparse(&repo_path, &new_patterns, command.settings())?;
-            new_patterns.sort();
-        }
+        Ok(new_patterns.into_iter().sorted_unstable().collect())
+    })
+}
+
+#[instrument(skip_all)]
+fn cmd_sparse_edit(
+    ui: &mut Ui,
+    command: &CommandHelper,
+    _args: &SparseEditArgs,
+) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
+    let mut workspace_command = command.workspace_helper(ui)?;
+    let repo_path = workspace_command.repo().repo_path().to_owned();
+    update_sparse_patterns_with(ui, &mut workspace_command, |_ui, old_patterns| {
+        let mut new_patterns = edit_sparse(&repo_path, old_patterns, command.settings())?;
+        new_patterns.sort_unstable();
         Ok(new_patterns)
     })
 }
diff --git a/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap b/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
index 52f219429..78ce17806 100644
--- a/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
+++ b/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ This document contains the help content for the `jj` command-line program.
 * [`jj sparse`↴](#jj-sparse)
 * [`jj sparse list`↴](#jj-sparse-list)
 * [`jj sparse set`↴](#jj-sparse-set)
+* [`jj sparse edit`↴](#jj-sparse-edit)
 * [`jj split`↴](#jj-split)
 * [`jj squash`↴](#jj-squash)
 * [`jj status`↴](#jj-status)
@@ -1614,6 +1615,7 @@ Manage which paths from the working-copy commit are present in the working copy
 
 * `list` — List the patterns that are currently present in the working copy
 * `set` — Update the patterns that are present in the working copy
+* `edit` — Start an editor to update the patterns that are present in the working copy
 
 
 
@@ -1643,10 +1645,6 @@ For example, if all you need is the `README.md` and the `lib/` directory, use `j
 
   Possible values: `true`, `false`
 
-* `--edit` — Edit patterns with $EDITOR
-
-  Possible values: `true`, `false`
-
 * `--reset` — Include all files in the working copy
 
   Possible values: `true`, `false`
@@ -1654,6 +1652,14 @@ For example, if all you need is the `README.md` and the `lib/` directory, use `j
 
 
 
+## `jj sparse edit`
+
+Start an editor to update the patterns that are present in the working copy
+
+**Usage:** `jj sparse edit`
+
+
+
 ## `jj split`
 
 Split a revision in two
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_sparse_command.rs b/cli/tests/test_sparse_command.rs
index f641a4e18..c62f65007 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_sparse_command.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_sparse_command.rs
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ fn test_sparse_manage_patterns() {
     let read_patterns = || std::fs::read_to_string(test_env.env_root().join("patterns0")).unwrap();
 
     edit_patterns(&["file1"]);
-    let (stdout, stderr) = test_env.jj_cmd_ok(&sub_dir, &["sparse", "set", "--edit"]);
+    let (stdout, stderr) = test_env.jj_cmd_ok(&sub_dir, &["sparse", "edit"]);
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @"");
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @r###"
     Added 0 files, modified 0 files, removed 2 files
@@ -158,30 +158,16 @@ fn test_sparse_manage_patterns() {
     file1
     "###);
 
-    // Can edit with `--clear` and `--add`
-    edit_patterns(&["file2"]);
-    let (stdout, stderr) = test_env.jj_cmd_ok(
-        &sub_dir,
-        &["sparse", "set", "--edit", "--clear", "--add", "file1"],
-    );
-    insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @"");
-    insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @r###"
-    Added 1 files, modified 0 files, removed 1 files
-    "###);
-    insta::assert_snapshot!(read_patterns(), @"file1");
-    let stdout = test_env.jj_cmd_success(&sub_dir, &["sparse", "list"]);
-    insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @r###"
-    file2
-    "###);
-
     // Can edit with multiple files
-    edit_patterns(&["file2", "file3"]);
-    let (stdout, stderr) = test_env.jj_cmd_ok(&sub_dir, &["sparse", "set", "--clear", "--edit"]);
+    edit_patterns(&["file3", "file2"]);
+    let (stdout, stderr) = test_env.jj_cmd_ok(&sub_dir, &["sparse", "edit"]);
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @"");
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @r###"
-    Added 1 files, modified 0 files, removed 0 files
+    Added 2 files, modified 0 files, removed 1 files
+    "###);
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(read_patterns(), @r###"
+    file1
     "###);
-    insta::assert_snapshot!(read_patterns(), @"");
     let stdout = test_env.jj_cmd_success(&sub_dir, &["sparse", "list"]);
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @r###"
     file2