diff --git a/builtin/check-attr.c b/builtin/check-attr.c
index 5f04126d4d..384c5a6171 100644
--- a/builtin/check-attr.c
+++ b/builtin/check-attr.c
@@ -20,12 +20,10 @@ static const struct option check_attr_options[] = {
 	OPT_END()
 };
 
-static void check_attr(int cnt, struct git_attr_check *check,
+static void output_attr(int cnt, struct git_attr_check *check,
 	const char *file)
 {
 	int j;
-	if (git_checkattr(file, cnt, check))
-		die("git_checkattr died");
 	for (j = 0; j < cnt; j++) {
 		const char *value = check[j].value;
 
@@ -41,6 +39,14 @@ static void check_attr(int cnt, struct git_attr_check *check,
 	}
 }
 
+static void check_attr(int cnt, struct git_attr_check *check,
+	const char *file)
+{
+	if (git_checkattr(file, cnt, check))
+		die("git_checkattr died");
+	output_attr(cnt, check, file);
+}
+
 static void check_attr_stdin_paths(int cnt, struct git_attr_check *check)
 {
 	struct strbuf buf, nbuf;