diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 08e47e2e48..e8875b8a57 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -945,12 +945,12 @@ int git_config_early(config_fn_t fn, void *data, const char *repo_config)
 		found += 1;
 	}
 
-	if (xdg_config && !access_or_warn(xdg_config, R_OK)) {
+	if (xdg_config && !access_or_die(xdg_config, R_OK)) {
 		ret += git_config_from_file(fn, xdg_config, data);
 		found += 1;
 	}
 
-	if (user_config && !access_or_warn(user_config, R_OK)) {
+	if (user_config && !access_or_die(user_config, R_OK)) {
 		ret += git_config_from_file(fn, user_config, data);
 		found += 1;
 	}
diff --git a/git-compat-util.h b/git-compat-util.h
index dba87da496..cfbfaff431 100644
--- a/git-compat-util.h
+++ b/git-compat-util.h
@@ -609,6 +609,7 @@ int remove_or_warn(unsigned int mode, const char *path);
  * (ENOENT or ENOTDIR).
  */
 int access_or_warn(const char *path, int mode);
+int access_or_die(const char *path, int mode);
 
 /* Warn on an inaccessible file that ought to be accessible */
 void warn_on_inaccessible(const char *path);
diff --git a/wrapper.c b/wrapper.c
index c1b919f335..7cbe96a0cc 100644
--- a/wrapper.c
+++ b/wrapper.c
@@ -416,6 +416,14 @@ int access_or_warn(const char *path, int mode)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+int access_or_die(const char *path, int mode)
+{
+	int ret = access(path, mode);
+	if (ret && errno != ENOENT && errno != ENOTDIR)
+		die_errno(_("unable to access '%s'"), path);
+	return ret;
+}
+
 struct passwd *xgetpwuid_self(void)
 {
 	struct passwd *pw;