diff --git a/commit.c b/commit.c
index 15b044331a..08b4602f43 100644
--- a/commit.c
+++ b/commit.c
@@ -24,16 +24,16 @@ int save_commit_buffer = 1;
 
 const char *commit_type = "commit";
 
-struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_gently_the_repository(
+struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_gently(struct repository *r,
 		const struct object_id *oid, int quiet)
 {
-	struct object *obj = deref_tag(the_repository,
-				       parse_object(the_repository, oid),
+	struct object *obj = deref_tag(r,
+				       parse_object(r, oid),
 				       NULL, 0);
 
 	if (!obj)
 		return NULL;
-	return object_as_type(the_repository, obj, OBJ_COMMIT, quiet);
+	return object_as_type(r, obj, OBJ_COMMIT, quiet);
 }
 
 struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_the_repository(const struct object_id *oid)
diff --git a/commit.h b/commit.h
index d61585df5b..f1f25957de 100644
--- a/commit.h
+++ b/commit.h
@@ -67,9 +67,7 @@ struct commit *lookup_commit(struct repository *r, const struct object_id *oid);
 #define lookup_commit_reference(r, o) \
 		lookup_commit_reference_##r(o)
 struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_the_repository(const struct object_id *oid);
-#define lookup_commit_reference_gently(r, o, q) \
-		lookup_commit_reference_gently_##r(o, q)
-struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_gently_the_repository(
+struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_gently(struct repository *r,
 					      const struct object_id *oid,
 					      int quiet);
 struct commit *lookup_commit_reference_by_name(const char *name);