diff --git a/hash.h b/hash.h
index d6422ddf45..ec594c63a6 100644
--- a/hash.h
+++ b/hash.h
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ struct object_id {
 #define GET_OID_REQUIRE_PATH         010000
 #define GET_OID_HASH_ANY             020000
 #define GET_OID_SKIP_AMBIGUITY_CHECK 040000
+#define GET_OID_GENTLY              0100000
 
 #define GET_OID_DISAMBIGUATORS \
 	(GET_OID_COMMIT | GET_OID_COMMITTISH | \
diff --git a/object-name.c b/object-name.c
index 2c751a5352..3138103343 100644
--- a/object-name.c
+++ b/object-name.c
@@ -1081,13 +1081,17 @@ static int get_oid_basic(struct repository *r, const char *str, int len,
 				 * still fill in the oid with the "old" value,
 				 * which we can use.
 				 */
-			} else {
+			} else if (!(flags & GET_OID_GENTLY)) {
 				if (flags & GET_OID_QUIETLY) {
 					exit(128);
 				}
 				die(_("log for '%.*s' only has %d entries"),
 				    len, str, co_cnt);
 			}
+			if (flags & GET_OID_GENTLY) {
+				free(real_ref);
+				return -1;
+			}
 		}
 	}