diff --git a/tempfile.c b/tempfile.c
index 964c66d504..861f817133 100644
--- a/tempfile.c
+++ b/tempfile.c
@@ -236,13 +236,15 @@ FILE *get_tempfile_fp(struct tempfile *tempfile)
 
 int close_tempfile_gently(struct tempfile *tempfile)
 {
-	int fd = tempfile->fd;
-	FILE *fp = tempfile->fp;
+	int fd;
+	FILE *fp;
 	int err;
 
-	if (fd < 0)
+	if (!is_tempfile_active(tempfile) || tempfile->fd < 0)
 		return 0;
 
+	fd = tempfile->fd;
+	fp = tempfile->fp;
 	tempfile->fd = -1;
 	if (fp) {
 		tempfile->fp = NULL;
@@ -262,10 +264,10 @@ int close_tempfile_gently(struct tempfile *tempfile)
 
 int reopen_tempfile(struct tempfile *tempfile)
 {
-	if (0 <= tempfile->fd)
-		die("BUG: reopen_tempfile called for an open object");
 	if (!is_tempfile_active(tempfile))
 		die("BUG: reopen_tempfile called for an inactive object");
+	if (0 <= tempfile->fd)
+		die("BUG: reopen_tempfile called for an open object");
 	tempfile->fd = open(tempfile->filename.buf, O_WRONLY);
 	return tempfile->fd;
 }
diff --git a/tempfile.h b/tempfile.h
index d854dcdd3e..d30663182d 100644
--- a/tempfile.h
+++ b/tempfile.h
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ extern FILE *fdopen_tempfile(struct tempfile *tempfile, const char *mode);
 
 static inline int is_tempfile_active(struct tempfile *tempfile)
 {
-	return tempfile->active;
+	return tempfile && tempfile->active;
 }
 
 /*