diff --git a/bundle.c b/bundle.c
index 8d12816b9d..26ceebdb4b 100644
--- a/bundle.c
+++ b/bundle.c
@@ -279,12 +279,12 @@ int create_bundle(struct bundle_header *header, const char *path,
 		if (buf.len > 0 && buf.buf[0] == '-') {
 			write_or_die(bundle_fd, buf.buf, buf.len);
 			if (!get_sha1_hex(buf.buf + 1, sha1)) {
-				struct object *object = parse_object(sha1);
+				struct object *object = parse_object_or_die(sha1, buf.buf);
 				object->flags |= UNINTERESTING;
 				add_pending_object(&revs, object, xstrdup(buf.buf));
 			}
 		} else if (!get_sha1_hex(buf.buf, sha1)) {
-			struct object *object = parse_object(sha1);
+			struct object *object = parse_object_or_die(sha1, buf.buf);
 			object->flags |= SHOWN;
 		}
 	}
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ int create_bundle(struct bundle_header *header, const char *path,
 				 * end up triggering "empty bundle"
 				 * error.
 				 */
-				obj = parse_object(sha1);
+				obj = parse_object_or_die(sha1, e->name);
 				obj->flags |= SHOWN;
 				add_pending_object(&revs, obj, e->name);
 			}
diff --git a/object.c b/object.c
index 4af3451bf8..20703f52ed 100644
--- a/object.c
+++ b/object.c
@@ -185,6 +185,16 @@ struct object *parse_object_buffer(const unsigned char *sha1, enum object_type t
 	return obj;
 }
 
+struct object *parse_object_or_die(const unsigned char *sha1,
+				   const char *name)
+{
+	struct object *o = parse_object(sha1);
+	if (o)
+		return o;
+
+	die(_("unable to parse object: %s"), name ? name : sha1_to_hex(sha1));
+}
+
 struct object *parse_object(const unsigned char *sha1)
 {
 	unsigned long size;
diff --git a/object.h b/object.h
index 6a97b6ba1a..97d384b80a 100644
--- a/object.h
+++ b/object.h
@@ -54,9 +54,20 @@ struct object *lookup_object(const unsigned char *sha1);
 
 extern void *create_object(const unsigned char *sha1, int type, void *obj);
 
-/** Returns the object, having parsed it to find out what it is. **/
+/*
+ * Returns the object, having parsed it to find out what it is.
+ *
+ * Returns NULL if the object is missing or corrupt.
+ */
 struct object *parse_object(const unsigned char *sha1);
 
+/*
+ * Like parse_object, but will die() instead of returning NULL. If the
+ * "name" parameter is not NULL, it is included in the error message
+ * (otherwise, the sha1 hex is given).
+ */
+struct object *parse_object_or_die(const unsigned char *sha1, const char *name);
+
 /* Given the result of read_sha1_file(), returns the object after
  * parsing it.  eaten_p indicates if the object has a borrowed copy
  * of buffer and the caller should not free() it.
diff --git a/pack-refs.c b/pack-refs.c
index f09a054228..6a689f35cb 100644
--- a/pack-refs.c
+++ b/pack-refs.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ static int handle_one_ref(const char *path, const unsigned char *sha1,
 
 	fprintf(cb->refs_file, "%s %s\n", sha1_to_hex(sha1), path);
 	if (is_tag_ref) {
-		struct object *o = parse_object(sha1);
+		struct object *o = parse_object_or_die(sha1, path);
 		if (o->type == OBJ_TAG) {
 			o = deref_tag(o, path, 0);
 			if (o)