diff --git a/sha1_file.c b/sha1_file.c
index b60ae15f70..b7bb38b445 100644
--- a/sha1_file.c
+++ b/sha1_file.c
@@ -2542,8 +2542,8 @@ void *unpack_entry(struct packed_git *p, off_t obj_offset,
 				error("bad packed object CRC for %s",
 				      sha1_to_hex(sha1));
 				mark_bad_packed_object(p, sha1);
-				unuse_pack(&w_curs);
-				return NULL;
+				data = NULL;
+				goto out;
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -2681,6 +2681,7 @@ void *unpack_entry(struct packed_git *p, off_t obj_offset,
 	if (final_size)
 		*final_size = size;
 
+out:
 	unuse_pack(&w_curs);
 
 	if (delta_stack != small_delta_stack)