diff --git a/commit.c b/commit.c
index 19cf8f9c67..388819c4e9 100644
--- a/commit.c
+++ b/commit.c
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ int parse_commit_buffer(struct commit *item, const void *buffer, unsigned long s
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int parse_commit(struct commit *item)
+int parse_commit_gently(struct commit *item, int quiet_on_missing)
 {
 	enum object_type type;
 	void *buffer;
@@ -366,7 +366,8 @@ int parse_commit(struct commit *item)
 		return 0;
 	buffer = read_sha1_file(item->object.sha1, &type, &size);
 	if (!buffer)
-		return error("Could not read %s",
+		return quiet_on_missing ? -1 :
+			error("Could not read %s",
 			     sha1_to_hex(item->object.sha1));
 	if (type != OBJ_COMMIT) {
 		free(buffer);
diff --git a/commit.h b/commit.h
index bc68ccbe69..61bda25b34 100644
--- a/commit.h
+++ b/commit.h
@@ -59,7 +59,11 @@ struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_by_name(const char *name);
 struct commit *lookup_commit_or_die(const unsigned char *sha1, const char *ref_name);
 
 int parse_commit_buffer(struct commit *item, const void *buffer, unsigned long size);
-int parse_commit(struct commit *item);
+int parse_commit_gently(struct commit *item, int quiet_on_missing);
+static inline int parse_commit(struct commit *item)
+{
+	return parse_commit_gently(item, 0);
+}
 void parse_commit_or_die(struct commit *item);
 
 /*
diff --git a/tree.c b/tree.c
index bb02c1caa4..194a84074d 100644
--- a/tree.c
+++ b/tree.c
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ int parse_tree_buffer(struct tree *item, void *buffer, unsigned long size)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int parse_tree(struct tree *item)
+int parse_tree_gently(struct tree *item, int quiet_on_missing)
 {
 	 enum object_type type;
 	 void *buffer;
@@ -208,7 +208,8 @@ int parse_tree(struct tree *item)
 		return 0;
 	buffer = read_sha1_file(item->object.sha1, &type, &size);
 	if (!buffer)
-		return error("Could not read %s",
+		return quiet_on_missing ? -1 :
+			error("Could not read %s",
 			     sha1_to_hex(item->object.sha1));
 	if (type != OBJ_TREE) {
 		free(buffer);
diff --git a/tree.h b/tree.h
index d84ac63e51..35332fba87 100644
--- a/tree.h
+++ b/tree.h
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@ struct tree *lookup_tree(const unsigned char *sha1);
 
 int parse_tree_buffer(struct tree *item, void *buffer, unsigned long size);
 
-int parse_tree(struct tree *tree);
+int parse_tree_gently(struct tree *tree, int quiet_on_missing);
+static inline int parse_tree(struct tree *tree)
+{
+	return parse_tree_gently(tree, 0);
+}
 void free_tree_buffer(struct tree *tree);
 
 /* Parses and returns the tree in the given ent, chasing tags and commits. */