diff --git a/builtin/branch.c b/builtin/branch.c
index 51ca6a02d7433f..0fe9c4dfe205ee 100644
--- a/builtin/branch.c
+++ b/builtin/branch.c
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ static int delete_branches(int argc, const char **argv, int force, int kinds)
 		free(name);
 
 		name = xstrdup(mkpath(fmt, bname.buf));
-		if (!resolve_ref(name, sha1, 1, NULL)) {
+		if (read_ref(name, sha1)) {
 			error(_("%sbranch '%s' not found."),
 					remote, bname.buf);
 			ret = 1;
@@ -565,7 +565,6 @@ static int print_ref_list(int kinds, int detached, int verbose, int abbrev, stru
 static void rename_branch(const char *oldname, const char *newname, int force)
 {
 	struct strbuf oldref = STRBUF_INIT, newref = STRBUF_INIT, logmsg = STRBUF_INIT;
-	unsigned char sha1[20];
 	struct strbuf oldsection = STRBUF_INIT, newsection = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int recovery = 0;
 
@@ -577,7 +576,7 @@ static void rename_branch(const char *oldname, const char *newname, int force)
 		 * Bad name --- this could be an attempt to rename a
 		 * ref that we used to allow to be created by accident.
 		 */
-		if (resolve_ref(oldref.buf, sha1, 1, NULL))
+		if (ref_exists(oldref.buf))
 			recovery = 1;
 		else
 			die(_("Invalid branch name: '%s'"), oldname);
diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 2a8077242500d5..beeaee41130e21 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ static int checkout_paths(struct tree *source_tree, const char **pathspec,
 	    commit_locked_index(lock_file))
 		die(_("unable to write new index file"));
 
-	resolve_ref("HEAD", rev, 0, &flag);
+	read_ref_full("HEAD", rev, 0, &flag);
 	head = lookup_commit_reference_gently(rev, 1);
 
 	errs |= post_checkout_hook(head, head, 0);
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ static int parse_branchname_arg(int argc, const char **argv,
 	setup_branch_path(new);
 
 	if (!check_refname_format(new->path, 0) &&
-	    resolve_ref(new->path, branch_rev, 1, NULL))
+	    !read_ref(new->path, branch_rev))
 		hashcpy(rev, branch_rev);
 	else
 		new->path = NULL; /* not an existing branch */
diff --git a/builtin/merge.c b/builtin/merge.c
index dffd5ec1245865..42b4f9e7bcbf54 100644
--- a/builtin/merge.c
+++ b/builtin/merge.c
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ static struct object *want_commit(const char *name)
 static void merge_name(const char *remote, struct strbuf *msg)
 {
 	struct object *remote_head;
-	unsigned char branch_head[20], buf_sha[20];
+	unsigned char branch_head[20];
 	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf bname = STRBUF_INIT;
 	const char *ptr;
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ static void merge_name(const char *remote, struct strbuf *msg)
 		strbuf_addstr(&truname, "refs/heads/");
 		strbuf_addstr(&truname, remote);
 		strbuf_setlen(&truname, truname.len - len);
-		if (resolve_ref(truname.buf, buf_sha, 1, NULL)) {
+		if (ref_exists(truname.buf)) {
 			strbuf_addf(msg,
 				    "%s\t\tbranch '%s'%s of .\n",
 				    sha1_to_hex(remote_head->sha1),
diff --git a/builtin/remote.c b/builtin/remote.c
index c810643815e38f..407abfb0f75453 100644
--- a/builtin/remote.c
+++ b/builtin/remote.c
@@ -343,8 +343,7 @@ static int get_ref_states(const struct ref *remote_refs, struct ref_states *stat
 	states->tracked.strdup_strings = 1;
 	states->stale.strdup_strings = 1;
 	for (ref = fetch_map; ref; ref = ref->next) {
-		unsigned char sha1[20];
-		if (!ref->peer_ref || read_ref(ref->peer_ref->name, sha1))
+		if (!ref->peer_ref || !ref_exists(ref->peer_ref->name))
 			string_list_append(&states->new, abbrev_branch(ref->name));
 		else
 			string_list_append(&states->tracked, abbrev_branch(ref->name));
@@ -710,7 +709,7 @@ static int mv(int argc, const char **argv)
 		int flag = 0;
 		unsigned char sha1[20];
 
-		resolve_ref(item->string, sha1, 1, &flag);
+		read_ref_full(item->string, sha1, 1, &flag);
 		if (!(flag & REF_ISSYMREF))
 			continue;
 		if (delete_ref(item->string, NULL, REF_NODEREF))
@@ -1220,10 +1219,9 @@ static int set_head(int argc, const char **argv)
 		usage_with_options(builtin_remote_sethead_usage, options);
 
 	if (head_name) {
-		unsigned char sha1[20];
 		strbuf_addf(&buf2, "refs/remotes/%s/%s", argv[0], head_name);
 		/* make sure it's valid */
-		if (!resolve_ref(buf2.buf, sha1, 1, NULL))
+		if (!ref_exists(buf2.buf))
 			result |= error("Not a valid ref: %s", buf2.buf);
 		else if (create_symref(buf.buf, buf2.buf, "remote set-head"))
 			result |= error("Could not setup %s", buf.buf);
diff --git a/builtin/replace.c b/builtin/replace.c
index 517fa1031a86f5..4a8970e9c95c1e 100644
--- a/builtin/replace.c
+++ b/builtin/replace.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ static int for_each_replace_name(const char **argv, each_replace_name_fn fn)
 			had_error = 1;
 			continue;
 		}
-		if (!resolve_ref(ref, sha1, 1, NULL)) {
+		if (read_ref(ref, sha1)) {
 			error("replace ref '%s' not found.", *p);
 			had_error = 1;
 			continue;
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ static int replace_object(const char *object_ref, const char *replace_ref,
 	if (check_refname_format(ref, 0))
 		die("'%s' is not a valid ref name.", ref);
 
-	if (!resolve_ref(ref, prev, 1, NULL))
+	if (read_ref(ref, prev))
 		hashclr(prev);
 	else if (!force)
 		die("replace ref '%s' already exists", ref);
diff --git a/builtin/show-ref.c b/builtin/show-ref.c
index fafb6dd50081b3..3911661900f795 100644
--- a/builtin/show-ref.c
+++ b/builtin/show-ref.c
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ int cmd_show_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			unsigned char sha1[20];
 
 			if (!prefixcmp(*pattern, "refs/") &&
-			    resolve_ref(*pattern, sha1, 1, NULL)) {
+			    !read_ref(*pattern, sha1)) {
 				if (!quiet)
 					show_one(*pattern, sha1);
 			}
diff --git a/builtin/tag.c b/builtin/tag.c
index 9b6fd95494fd80..439249d466ccb9 100644
--- a/builtin/tag.c
+++ b/builtin/tag.c
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ static int for_each_tag_name(const char **argv, each_tag_name_fn fn)
 			had_error = 1;
 			continue;
 		}
-		if (!resolve_ref(ref, sha1, 1, NULL)) {
+		if (read_ref(ref, sha1)) {
 			error(_("tag '%s' not found."), *p);
 			had_error = 1;
 			continue;
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ int cmd_tag(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (strbuf_check_tag_ref(&ref, tag))
 		die(_("'%s' is not a valid tag name."), tag);
 
-	if (!resolve_ref(ref.buf, prev, 1, NULL))
+	if (read_ref(ref.buf, prev))
 		hashclr(prev);
 	else if (!force)
 		die(_("tag '%s' already exists"), tag);
diff --git a/bundle.c b/bundle.c
index 08020bc3a258e0..4742f2734eeb3d 100644
--- a/bundle.c
+++ b/bundle.c
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ int create_bundle(struct bundle_header *header, const char *path,
 			continue;
 		if (dwim_ref(e->name, strlen(e->name), sha1, &ref) != 1)
 			continue;
-		if (!resolve_ref(e->name, sha1, 1, &flag))
+		if (read_ref_full(e->name, sha1, 1, &flag))
 			flag = 0;
 		display_ref = (flag & REF_ISSYMREF) ? e->name : ref;
 
diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 2e6ad3604e4cc6..5badece71b1e47 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -832,6 +832,8 @@ static inline int get_sha1_with_context(const char *str, unsigned char *sha1, st
 extern int get_sha1_hex(const char *hex, unsigned char *sha1);
 
 extern char *sha1_to_hex(const unsigned char *sha1);	/* static buffer result! */
+extern int read_ref_full(const char *filename, unsigned char *sha1,
+			 int reading, int *flags);
 extern int read_ref(const char *filename, unsigned char *sha1);
 
 /*
diff --git a/notes-merge.c b/notes-merge.c
index e9e41993117ae0..e33c2c9f165ea3 100644
--- a/notes-merge.c
+++ b/notes-merge.c
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ int notes_merge(struct notes_merge_options *o,
 	       o->local_ref, o->remote_ref);
 
 	/* Dereference o->local_ref into local_sha1 */
-	if (!resolve_ref(o->local_ref, local_sha1, 0, NULL))
+	if (read_ref_full(o->local_ref, local_sha1, 0, NULL))
 		die("Failed to resolve local notes ref '%s'", o->local_ref);
 	else if (!check_refname_format(o->local_ref, 0) &&
 		is_null_sha1(local_sha1))
diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index e69ba26b74e430..44c1c86e187568 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ static void get_ref_dir(const char *submodule, const char *base,
 					flag |= REF_ISBROKEN;
 				}
 			} else
-				if (!resolve_ref(ref, sha1, 1, &flag)) {
+				if (read_ref_full(ref, sha1, 1, &flag)) {
 					hashclr(sha1);
 					flag |= REF_ISBROKEN;
 				}
@@ -612,13 +612,18 @@ struct ref_filter {
 	void *cb_data;
 };
 
-int read_ref(const char *ref, unsigned char *sha1)
+int read_ref_full(const char *ref, unsigned char *sha1, int reading, int *flags)
 {
-	if (resolve_ref(ref, sha1, 1, NULL))
+	if (resolve_ref(ref, sha1, reading, flags))
 		return 0;
 	return -1;
 }
 
+int read_ref(const char *ref, unsigned char *sha1)
+{
+	return read_ref_full(ref, sha1, 1, NULL);
+}
+
 #define DO_FOR_EACH_INCLUDE_BROKEN 01
 static int do_one_ref(const char *base, each_ref_fn fn, int trim,
 		      int flags, void *cb_data, struct ref_entry *entry)
@@ -663,7 +668,7 @@ int peel_ref(const char *ref, unsigned char *sha1)
 		goto fallback;
 	}
 
-	if (!resolve_ref(ref, base, 1, &flag))
+	if (read_ref_full(ref, base, 1, &flag))
 		return -1;
 
 	if ((flag & REF_ISPACKED)) {
@@ -746,7 +751,7 @@ static int do_head_ref(const char *submodule, each_ref_fn fn, void *cb_data)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	if (resolve_ref("HEAD", sha1, 1, &flag))
+	if (!read_ref_full("HEAD", sha1, 1, &flag))
 		return fn("HEAD", sha1, flag, cb_data);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -826,7 +831,7 @@ int head_ref_namespaced(each_ref_fn fn, void *cb_data)
 	int flag;
 
 	strbuf_addf(&buf, "%sHEAD", get_git_namespace());
-	if (resolve_ref(buf.buf, sha1, 1, &flag))
+	if (!read_ref_full(buf.buf, sha1, 1, &flag))
 		ret = fn(buf.buf, sha1, flag, cb_data);
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
 
@@ -1022,7 +1027,7 @@ int refname_match(const char *abbrev_name, const char *full_name, const char **r
 static struct ref_lock *verify_lock(struct ref_lock *lock,
 	const unsigned char *old_sha1, int mustexist)
 {
-	if (!resolve_ref(lock->ref_name, lock->old_sha1, mustexist, NULL)) {
+	if (read_ref_full(lock->ref_name, lock->old_sha1, mustexist, NULL)) {
 		error("Can't verify ref %s", lock->ref_name);
 		unlock_ref(lock);
 		return NULL;
@@ -1377,7 +1382,8 @@ int rename_ref(const char *oldref, const char *newref, const char *logmsg)
 		goto rollback;
 	}
 
-	if (resolve_ref(newref, sha1, 1, &flag) && delete_ref(newref, sha1, REF_NODEREF)) {
+	if (!read_ref_full(newref, sha1, 1, &flag) &&
+	    delete_ref(newref, sha1, REF_NODEREF)) {
 		if (errno==EISDIR) {
 			if (remove_empty_directories(git_path("%s", newref))) {
 				error("Directory not empty: %s", newref);
@@ -1929,7 +1935,7 @@ static int do_for_each_reflog(const char *base, each_ref_fn fn, void *cb_data)
 				retval = do_for_each_reflog(log, fn, cb_data);
 			} else {
 				unsigned char sha1[20];
-				if (!resolve_ref(log, sha1, 0, NULL))
+				if (read_ref_full(log, sha1, 0, NULL))
 					retval = error("bad ref for %s", log);
 				else
 					retval = fn(log, sha1, 0, cb_data);
@@ -2072,7 +2078,6 @@ char *shorten_unambiguous_ref(const char *ref, int strict)
 		 */
 		for (j = 0; j < rules_to_fail; j++) {
 			const char *rule = ref_rev_parse_rules[j];
-			unsigned char short_objectname[20];
 			char refname[PATH_MAX];
 
 			/* skip matched rule */
@@ -2086,7 +2091,7 @@ char *shorten_unambiguous_ref(const char *ref, int strict)
 			 */
 			mksnpath(refname, sizeof(refname),
 				 rule, short_name_len, short_name);
-			if (!read_ref(refname, short_objectname))
+			if (ref_exists(refname))
 				break;
 		}
 
diff --git a/remote.c b/remote.c
index e2ef99114478c4..6655bb05b2d31b 100644
--- a/remote.c
+++ b/remote.c
@@ -1507,13 +1507,13 @@ int stat_tracking_info(struct branch *branch, int *num_ours, int *num_theirs)
 	 * nothing to report.
 	 */
 	base = branch->merge[0]->dst;
-	if (!resolve_ref(base, sha1, 1, NULL))
+	if (read_ref(base, sha1))
 		return 0;
 	theirs = lookup_commit_reference(sha1);
 	if (!theirs)
 		return 0;
 
-	if (!resolve_ref(branch->refname, sha1, 1, NULL))
+	if (read_ref(branch->refname, sha1))
 		return 0;
 	ours = lookup_commit_reference(sha1);
 	if (!ours)