diff --git a/commit-graph.c b/commit-graph.c
index 9abe62bd5a..0820cf5fb8 100644
--- a/commit-graph.c
+++ b/commit-graph.c
@@ -740,13 +740,13 @@ static struct commit_graph *prepare_commit_graph(struct repository *r)
 	struct odb_source *source;
 
 	/*
-	 * Early return if there is no git dir or if the commit graph is
+	 * Early return if there is no object database or if the commit graph is
 	 * disabled.
 	 *
 	 * This must come before the "already attempted?" check below, because
 	 * we want to disable even an already-loaded graph file.
 	 */
-	if (!r->gitdir || r->commit_graph_disabled)
+	if (!r->objects || r->commit_graph_disabled)
 		return NULL;
 
 	if (r->objects->commit_graph_attempted)
diff --git a/setup.c b/setup.c
index 0dc9fe4565..4a8d6230b1 100644
--- a/setup.c
+++ b/setup.c
@@ -2043,13 +2043,12 @@ const char *setup_git_directory_gently(struct repository *repo, int *nongit_ok)
 			setup_git_env_internal(repo, gitdir);
 		}
 
-		repo->objects = odb_new(repo,
-					getenv_safe(&to_free, DB_ENVIRONMENT),
-					getenv_safe(&to_free, ALTERNATE_DB_ENVIRONMENT));
-
 		if (startup_info->have_repository) {
 			struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 
+			repo->objects = odb_new(repo,
+						getenv_safe(&to_free, DB_ENVIRONMENT),
+						getenv_safe(&to_free, ALTERNATE_DB_ENVIRONMENT));
 			if (apply_repository_format(repo, &repo_fmt, &err) < 0)
 				die("%s", err.buf);