diff --git a/fetch-pack.c b/fetch-pack.c
index 6e68276aa3..2318ebe680 100644
--- a/fetch-pack.c
+++ b/fetch-pack.c
@@ -1251,7 +1251,7 @@ static int send_fetch_request(struct fetch_negotiator *negotiator, int fd_out,
 		if (hash_algo_by_ptr(the_hash_algo) != hash_algo)
 			die(_("mismatched algorithms: client %s; server %s"),
 			    the_hash_algo->name, hash_name);
-		packet_write_fmt(fd_out, "object-format=%s", the_hash_algo->name);
+		packet_buf_write(&req_buf, "object-format=%s", the_hash_algo->name);
 	} else if (hash_algo_by_ptr(the_hash_algo) != GIT_HASH_SHA1) {
 		die(_("the server does not support algorithm '%s'"),
 		    the_hash_algo->name);