diff --git a/builtin-fetch--tool.c b/builtin-fetch--tool.c
index e2f8ede9ae..db133348a8 100644
--- a/builtin-fetch--tool.c
+++ b/builtin-fetch--tool.c
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ static int append_fetch_head(FILE *fp,
 
 	if (get_sha1(head, sha1))
 		return error("Not a valid object name: %s", head);
-	commit = lookup_commit_reference(sha1);
+	commit = lookup_commit_reference_gently(sha1, 1);
 	if (!commit)
 		not_for_merge = 1;