diff --git a/hash-object.c b/hash-object.c
index 37e66779ab..ebb3bedb07 100644
--- a/hash-object.c
+++ b/hash-object.c
@@ -84,8 +84,6 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 
 	git_extract_argv0_path(argv[0]);
 
-	git_config(git_default_config, NULL);
-
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, hash_object_options, hash_object_usage, 0);
 
 	if (write_object) {
@@ -95,6 +93,8 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 			vpath = prefix_filename(prefix, prefix_length, vpath);
 	}
 
+	git_config(git_default_config, NULL);
+
 	if (stdin_paths) {
 		if (hashstdin)
 			errstr = "Can't use --stdin-paths with --stdin";