diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index c10a91d90a..5f1f5c3395 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -757,7 +757,12 @@ int daemon_avoid_alias(const char *path);
 int offset_1st_component(const char *path);
 
 /* object replacement */
-extern void *read_sha1_file(const unsigned char *sha1, enum object_type *type, unsigned long *size);
+#define READ_SHA1_FILE_REPLACE 1
+extern void *read_sha1_file_extended(const unsigned char *sha1, enum object_type *type, unsigned long *size, unsigned flag);
+static inline void *read_sha1_file(const unsigned char *sha1, enum object_type *type, unsigned long *size)
+{
+	return read_sha1_file_extended(sha1, type, size, READ_SHA1_FILE_REPLACE);
+}
 extern const unsigned char *do_lookup_replace_object(const unsigned char *sha1);
 static inline const unsigned char *lookup_replace_object(const unsigned char *sha1)
 {
diff --git a/sha1_file.c b/sha1_file.c
index 5d80febde2..7e6e976c23 100644
--- a/sha1_file.c
+++ b/sha1_file.c
@@ -2206,14 +2206,16 @@ static void *read_object(const unsigned char *sha1, enum object_type *type,
  * deal with them should arrange to call read_object() and give error
  * messages themselves.
  */
-void *read_sha1_file(const unsigned char *sha1,
-		     enum object_type *type,
-		     unsigned long *size)
+void *read_sha1_file_extended(const unsigned char *sha1,
+			      enum object_type *type,
+			      unsigned long *size,
+			      unsigned flag)
 {
-	const unsigned char *repl = lookup_replace_object(sha1);
 	void *data;
 	char *path;
 	const struct packed_git *p;
+	const unsigned char *repl = (flag & READ_SHA1_FILE_REPLACE)
+		? lookup_replace_object(sha1) : sha1;
 
 	errno = 0;
 	data = read_object(repl, type, size);