diff --git a/bulk-checkin.c b/bulk-checkin.c
index 6d6c37171c..577b135e39 100644
--- a/bulk-checkin.c
+++ b/bulk-checkin.c
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@
 #include "packfile.h"
 #include "object-store.h"
 
-static struct bulk_checkin_state {
-	unsigned plugged:1;
+static int bulk_checkin_plugged;
 
+static struct bulk_checkin_state {
 	char *pack_tmp_name;
 	struct hashfile *f;
 	off_t offset;
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ static struct bulk_checkin_state {
 	struct pack_idx_entry **written;
 	uint32_t alloc_written;
 	uint32_t nr_written;
-} state;
+} bulk_checkin_state;
 
 static void finish_tmp_packfile(struct strbuf *basename,
 				const char *pack_tmp_name,
@@ -278,21 +278,23 @@ int index_bulk_checkin(struct object_id *oid,
 		       int fd, size_t size, enum object_type type,
 		       const char *path, unsigned flags)
 {
-	int status = deflate_to_pack(&state, oid, fd, size, type,
+	int status = deflate_to_pack(&bulk_checkin_state, oid, fd, size, type,
 				     path, flags);
-	if (!state.plugged)
-		finish_bulk_checkin(&state);
+	if (!bulk_checkin_plugged)
+		finish_bulk_checkin(&bulk_checkin_state);
 	return status;
 }
 
 void plug_bulk_checkin(void)
 {
-	state.plugged = 1;
+	assert(!bulk_checkin_plugged);
+	bulk_checkin_plugged = 1;
 }
 
 void unplug_bulk_checkin(void)
 {
-	state.plugged = 0;
-	if (state.f)
-		finish_bulk_checkin(&state);
+	assert(bulk_checkin_plugged);
+	bulk_checkin_plugged = 0;
+	if (bulk_checkin_state.f)
+		finish_bulk_checkin(&bulk_checkin_state);
 }