diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index bf20337ef4..e34b9e66d2 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -961,7 +961,6 @@ extern int grafts_replace_parents;
 #define GIT_REPO_VERSION 0
 #define GIT_REPO_VERSION_READ 1
 extern int repository_format_precious_objects;
-extern char *repository_format_partial_clone;
 extern const char *core_partial_clone_filter_default;
 extern int repository_format_worktree_config;
 
diff --git a/environment.c b/environment.c
index 89af47cb85..8855d2fc11 100644
--- a/environment.c
+++ b/environment.c
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ int warn_ambiguous_refs = 1;
 int warn_on_object_refname_ambiguity = 1;
 int ref_paranoia = -1;
 int repository_format_precious_objects;
-char *repository_format_partial_clone;
 const char *core_partial_clone_filter_default;
 int repository_format_worktree_config;
 const char *git_commit_encoding;
diff --git a/promisor-remote.c b/promisor-remote.c
index 92c4c12c1c..31d51bb50e 100644
--- a/promisor-remote.c
+++ b/promisor-remote.c
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "transport.h"
 
+static char *repository_format_partial_clone;
+
+void set_repository_format_partial_clone(char *partial_clone)
+{
+	repository_format_partial_clone = xstrdup_or_null(partial_clone);
+}
+
 static int fetch_refs(const char *remote_name, struct ref *ref)
 {
 	struct remote *remote;
diff --git a/promisor-remote.h b/promisor-remote.h
index 838cb092f3..8200dfc940 100644
--- a/promisor-remote.h
+++ b/promisor-remote.h
@@ -22,4 +22,10 @@ extern int promisor_remote_get_direct(struct repository *repo,
 				      const struct object_id *oids,
 				      int oid_nr);
 
+/*
+ * This should be used only once from setup.c to set the value we got
+ * from the extensions.partialclone config option.
+ */
+extern void set_repository_format_partial_clone(char *partial_clone);
+
 #endif /* PROMISOR_REMOTE_H */
diff --git a/setup.c b/setup.c
index 8dcb4631f7..25a3038277 100644
--- a/setup.c
+++ b/setup.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "dir.h"
 #include "string-list.h"
 #include "chdir-notify.h"
+#include "promisor-remote.h"
 
 static int inside_git_dir = -1;
 static int inside_work_tree = -1;
@@ -478,7 +479,7 @@ static int check_repository_format_gently(const char *gitdir, struct repository_
 	}
 
 	repository_format_precious_objects = candidate->precious_objects;
-	repository_format_partial_clone = xstrdup_or_null(candidate->partial_clone);
+	set_repository_format_partial_clone(candidate->partial_clone);
 	repository_format_worktree_config = candidate->worktree_config;
 	string_list_clear(&candidate->unknown_extensions, 0);