diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 00a029af36..cafa3d10ae 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -509,7 +509,9 @@ extern int is_nonbare_repository_dir(struct strbuf *path);
 #define READ_GITFILE_ERR_TOO_LARGE 8
 extern const char *read_gitfile_gently(const char *path, int *return_error_code);
 #define read_gitfile(path) read_gitfile_gently((path), NULL)
-extern const char *resolve_gitdir(const char *suspect);
+extern const char *resolve_gitdir_gently(const char *suspect, int *return_error_code);
+#define resolve_gitdir(path) resolve_gitdir_gently((path), NULL)
+
 extern void set_git_work_tree(const char *tree);
 
 #define ALTERNATE_DB_ENVIRONMENT "GIT_ALTERNATE_OBJECT_DIRECTORIES"
diff --git a/setup.c b/setup.c
index 1b534a7508..4605fd3c3c 100644
--- a/setup.c
+++ b/setup.c
@@ -1017,11 +1017,11 @@ const char *setup_git_directory(void)
 	return setup_git_directory_gently(NULL);
 }
 
-const char *resolve_gitdir(const char *suspect)
+const char *resolve_gitdir_gently(const char *suspect, int *return_error_code)
 {
 	if (is_git_directory(suspect))
 		return suspect;
-	return read_gitfile(suspect);
+	return read_gitfile_gently(suspect, return_error_code);
 }
 
 /* if any standard file descriptor is missing open it to /dev/null */