1 files changed, 8 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/commit.c b/commit.c
index de16a3c0a2..11509ffc47 100644
--- a/commit.c
+++ b/commit.c
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_by_name(const char *name)
 	if (get_sha1_committish(name, sha1))
 		return NULL;
 	commit = lookup_commit_reference(sha1);
-	if (!commit || parse_commit(commit))
+	if (parse_commit(commit))
 		return NULL;
 	return commit;
 }
@@ -341,6 +341,13 @@ int parse_commit(struct commit *item)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+void parse_commit_or_die(struct commit *item)
+{
+	if (parse_commit(item))
+		die("unable to parse commit %s",
+		    item ? sha1_to_hex(item->object.sha1) : "(null)");
+}
+
 int find_commit_subject(const char *commit_buffer, const char **subject)
 {
 	const char *eol;