diff --git a/sha1_name.c b/sha1_name.c
index 6d10f052b5..6a2195fcc1 100644
--- a/sha1_name.c
+++ b/sha1_name.c
@@ -858,12 +858,12 @@ static int get_sha1_oneline(const char *prefix, unsigned char *sha1,
 
 	if (prefix[0] == '!') {
 		if (prefix[1] != '!')
-			die ("Invalid search pattern: %s", prefix);
+			return -1;
 		prefix++;
 	}
 
 	if (regcomp(&regex, prefix, REG_EXTENDED))
-		die("Invalid search pattern: %s", prefix);
+		return -1;
 
 	for (l = list; l; l = l->next) {
 		l->item->object.flags |= ONELINE_SEEN;
diff --git a/t/t6133-pathspec-rev-dwim.sh b/t/t6133-pathspec-rev-dwim.sh
index 8e5b338633..a290ffca0d 100755
--- a/t/t6133-pathspec-rev-dwim.sh
+++ b/t/t6133-pathspec-rev-dwim.sh
@@ -35,4 +35,14 @@ test_expect_success '@{foo} with metacharacters dwims to rev' '
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success ':/*.t from a subdir dwims to a pathspec' '
+	mkdir subdir &&
+	(
+		cd subdir &&
+		git log -- ":/*.t" >expect &&
+		git log    ":/*.t" >actual &&
+		test_cmp expect actual
+	)
+'
+
 test_done