diff --git a/notes-merge.c b/notes-merge.c
index 0c22f09b28..72688d301b 100644
--- a/notes-merge.c
+++ b/notes-merge.c
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ int notes_merge(struct notes_merge_options *o,
 	else if (!check_refname_format(o->local_ref, 0) &&
 		is_null_oid(&local_oid))
 		local = NULL; /* local_oid == null_oid indicates unborn ref */
-	else if (!(local = lookup_commit_reference(the_repository, &local_oid)))
+	else if (!(local = lookup_commit_reference(o->repo, &local_oid)))
 		die("Could not parse local commit %s (%s)",
 		    oid_to_hex(&local_oid), o->local_ref);
 	trace_printf("\tlocal commit: %.7s\n", oid_to_hex(&local_oid));
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ int notes_merge(struct notes_merge_options *o,
 			die("Failed to resolve remote notes ref '%s'",
 			    o->remote_ref);
 		}
-	} else if (!(remote = lookup_commit_reference(the_repository, &remote_oid))) {
+	} else if (!(remote = lookup_commit_reference(o->repo, &remote_oid))) {
 		die("Could not parse remote commit %s (%s)",
 		    oid_to_hex(&remote_oid), o->remote_ref);
 	}