diff --git a/commit.c b/commit.c
index 087cb19f4f..e0691c9e52 100644
--- a/commit.c
+++ b/commit.c
@@ -84,13 +84,19 @@ struct commit *lookup_commit(struct repository *r, const struct object_id *oid)
 }
 
 struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_by_name(const char *name)
+{
+	return lookup_commit_reference_by_name_gently(name, 0);
+}
+
+struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_by_name_gently(const char *name,
+						      int quiet)
 {
 	struct object_id oid;
 	struct commit *commit;
 
 	if (repo_get_oid_committish(the_repository, name, &oid))
 		return NULL;
-	commit = lookup_commit_reference(the_repository, &oid);
+	commit = lookup_commit_reference_gently(the_repository, &oid, quiet);
 	if (repo_parse_commit(the_repository, commit))
 		return NULL;
 	return commit;
diff --git a/commit.h b/commit.h
index d62b1d93f9..0e5fce543c 100644
--- a/commit.h
+++ b/commit.h
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_gently(struct repository *r,
 					      const struct object_id *oid,
 					      int quiet);
 struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_by_name(const char *name);
+struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_by_name_gently(const char *name,
+						      int quiet);
 
 /*
  * Look up object named by "oid", dereference tag as necessary,