diff --git a/builtin/fsck.c b/builtin/fsck.c
index d2b4336f7e..cd0b67f3bc 100644
--- a/builtin/fsck.c
+++ b/builtin/fsck.c
@@ -745,7 +745,8 @@ static int fsck_cache_tree(struct cache_tree *it)
 
 static void mark_object_for_connectivity(const struct object_id *oid)
 {
-	struct object *obj = lookup_unknown_object(oid);
+	struct repository *r = the_repository;
+	struct object *obj = lookup_unknown_object(r, oid);
 	obj->flags |= HAS_OBJ;
 }
 
diff --git a/builtin/pack-objects.c b/builtin/pack-objects.c
index 393c20a2d7..b03f4378a0 100644
--- a/builtin/pack-objects.c
+++ b/builtin/pack-objects.c
@@ -2891,6 +2891,7 @@ static void add_objects_in_unpacked_packs(void)
 {
 	struct packed_git *p;
 	struct in_pack in_pack;
+	struct repository *r = the_repository;
 	uint32_t i;
 
 	memset(&in_pack, 0, sizeof(in_pack));
@@ -2910,7 +2911,7 @@ static void add_objects_in_unpacked_packs(void)
 
 		for (i = 0; i < p->num_objects; i++) {
 			nth_packed_object_oid(&oid, p, i);
-			o = lookup_unknown_object(&oid);
+			o = lookup_unknown_object(r, &oid);
 			if (!(o->flags & OBJECT_ADDED))
 				mark_in_pack_object(o, p, &in_pack);
 			o->flags |= OBJECT_ADDED;
diff --git a/http-push.c b/http-push.c
index 822f326599..c26d03b21b 100644
--- a/http-push.c
+++ b/http-push.c
@@ -1416,6 +1416,7 @@ static void one_remote_ref(const char *refname)
 {
 	struct ref *ref;
 	struct object *obj;
+	struct repository *r = the_repository;
 
 	ref = alloc_ref(refname);
 
@@ -1432,7 +1433,7 @@ static void one_remote_ref(const char *refname)
 	 * may be required for updating server info later.
 	 */
 	if (repo->can_update_info_refs && !has_object_file(&ref->old_oid)) {
-		obj = lookup_unknown_object(&ref->old_oid);
+		obj = lookup_unknown_object(r, &ref->old_oid);
 		fprintf(stderr,	"  fetch %s for %s\n",
 			oid_to_hex(&ref->old_oid), refname);
 		add_fetch_request(obj);
diff --git a/object.c b/object.c
index 549fbe69ca..90338a509c 100644
--- a/object.c
+++ b/object.c
@@ -177,12 +177,12 @@ void *object_as_type(struct repository *r, struct object *obj, enum object_type
 	}
 }
 
-struct object *lookup_unknown_object(const struct object_id *oid)
+struct object *lookup_unknown_object(struct repository *r, const struct object_id *oid)
 {
-	struct object *obj = lookup_object(the_repository, oid);
+	struct object *obj = lookup_object(r, oid);
 	if (!obj)
-		obj = create_object(the_repository, oid,
-				    alloc_object_node(the_repository));
+		obj = create_object(r, oid,
+				    alloc_object_node(r));
 	return obj;
 }
 
diff --git a/object.h b/object.h
index 5a8ae274ee..375236cec3 100644
--- a/object.h
+++ b/object.h
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ struct object *parse_object_or_die(const struct object_id *oid, const char *name
 struct object *parse_object_buffer(struct repository *r, const struct object_id *oid, enum object_type type, unsigned long size, void *buffer, int *eaten_p);
 
 /** Returns the object, with potentially excess memory allocated. **/
-struct object *lookup_unknown_object(const struct object_id *oid);
+struct object *lookup_unknown_object(struct repository *, const struct object_id *oid);
 
 struct object_list *object_list_insert(struct object *item,
 				       struct object_list **list_p);
diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 1ab0bb54d3..a630a8c271 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -379,7 +379,8 @@ static int filter_refs(const char *refname, const struct object_id *oid,
 
 enum peel_status peel_object(const struct object_id *name, struct object_id *oid)
 {
-	struct object *o = lookup_unknown_object(name);
+	struct repository *r = the_repository;
+	struct object *o = lookup_unknown_object(r, name);
 
 	if (o->type == OBJ_NONE) {
 		int type = oid_object_info(the_repository, name, NULL);
diff --git a/t/helper/test-example-decorate.c b/t/helper/test-example-decorate.c
index c8a1cde7d2..6b3262a9d3 100644
--- a/t/helper/test-example-decorate.c
+++ b/t/helper/test-example-decorate.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ int cmd__example_decorate(int argc, const char **argv)
 	struct object_id two_oid = { {2} };
 	struct object_id three_oid = { {3} };
 	struct object *one, *two, *three;
+	struct repository *r = the_repository;
 
 	int decoration_a, decoration_b;
 
@@ -26,8 +27,8 @@ int cmd__example_decorate(int argc, const char **argv)
 	 * Add 2 objects, one with a non-NULL decoration and one with a NULL
 	 * decoration.
 	 */
-	one = lookup_unknown_object(&one_oid);
-	two = lookup_unknown_object(&two_oid);
+	one = lookup_unknown_object(r, &one_oid);
+	two = lookup_unknown_object(r, &two_oid);
 	ret = add_decoration(&n, one, &decoration_a);
 	if (ret)
 		BUG("when adding a brand-new object, NULL should be returned");
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ int cmd__example_decorate(int argc, const char **argv)
 	ret = lookup_decoration(&n, two);
 	if (ret != &decoration_b)
 		BUG("lookup should return added declaration");
-	three = lookup_unknown_object(&three_oid);
+	three = lookup_unknown_object(r, &three_oid);
 	ret = lookup_decoration(&n, three);
 	if (ret)
 		BUG("lookup for unknown object should return NULL");
diff --git a/upload-pack.c b/upload-pack.c
index cb7312268f..6d196e275b 100644
--- a/upload-pack.c
+++ b/upload-pack.c
@@ -962,7 +962,8 @@ static void receive_needs(struct packet_reader *reader, struct object_array *wan
 static int mark_our_ref(const char *refname, const char *refname_full,
 			const struct object_id *oid)
 {
-	struct object *o = lookup_unknown_object(oid);
+	struct repository *r = the_repository;
+	struct object *o = lookup_unknown_object(r, oid);
 
 	if (ref_is_hidden(refname, refname_full)) {
 		o->flags |= HIDDEN_REF;
diff --git a/walker.c b/walker.c
index 06cd2bd569..098c69ebe1 100644
--- a/walker.c
+++ b/walker.c
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ void walker_targets_free(int targets, char **target, const char **write_ref)
 int walker_fetch(struct walker *walker, int targets, char **target,
 		 const char **write_ref, const char *write_ref_log_details)
 {
+	struct repository *r = the_repository;
 	struct strbuf refname = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct ref_transaction *transaction = NULL;
@@ -285,7 +286,7 @@ int walker_fetch(struct walker *walker, int targets, char **target,
 			error("Could not interpret response from server '%s' as something to pull", target[i]);
 			goto done;
 		}
-		if (process(walker, lookup_unknown_object(&oids[i])))
+		if (process(walker, lookup_unknown_object(r, &oids[i])))
 			goto done;
 	}
 
