diff --git a/http-push.c b/http-push.c
index a1c01e3b9b..a48ca23799 100644
--- a/http-push.c
+++ b/http-push.c
@@ -1725,6 +1725,7 @@ int cmd_main(int argc, const char **argv)
 	int i;
 	int new_refs;
 	struct ref *ref, *local_refs = NULL;
+	const char *gitdir;
 
 	CALLOC_ARRAY(repo, 1);
 
@@ -1787,7 +1788,7 @@ int cmd_main(int argc, const char **argv)
 	if (delete_branch && rs.nr != 1)
 		die("You must specify only one branch name when deleting a remote branch");
 
-	setup_git_directory();
+	gitdir = setup_git_directory();
 
 	memset(remote_dir_exists, -1, 256);
 
@@ -1941,7 +1942,7 @@ int cmd_main(int argc, const char **argv)
 		if (!push_all && !is_null_oid(&ref->old_oid))
 			strvec_pushf(&commit_argv, "^%s",
 				     oid_to_hex(&ref->old_oid));
-		repo_init_revisions(the_repository, &revs, setup_git_directory());
+		repo_init_revisions(the_repository, &revs, gitdir);
 		setup_revisions_from_strvec(&commit_argv, &revs, NULL);
 		revs.edge_hint = 0; /* just in case */