diff --git a/rev-list.c b/rev-list.c
index d0609666a1..e00e6fc76d 100644
--- a/rev-list.c
+++ b/rev-list.c
@@ -844,8 +844,12 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 			arg++;
 			limited = 1;
 		}
-		if (get_sha1(arg, sha1) < 0)
+		if (get_sha1(arg, sha1) < 0) {
+			struct stat st;
+			if (lstat(arg, &st) < 0)
+				die("'%s': %s", arg, strerror(errno));
 			break;
+		}
 		commit = get_commit_reference(arg, sha1, flags);
 		handle_one_commit(commit, &list);
 	}
diff --git a/rev-parse.c b/rev-parse.c
index 0c951af0d4..7abad35de9 100644
--- a/rev-parse.c
+++ b/rev-parse.c
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	const char *prefix = setup_git_directory();
 	
 	for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
+		struct stat st;
 		char *arg = argv[i];
 		char *dotdot;
 	
@@ -293,6 +294,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 		if (verify)
 			die("Needed a single revision");
+		if (lstat(arg, &st) < 0)
+			die("'%s': %s", arg, strerror(errno));
 		as_is = 1;
 		show_file(arg);
 	}