diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index a9ae100542e9c9..c10a91d90a58f9 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -756,10 +756,18 @@ char *strip_path_suffix(const char *path, const char *suffix);
 int daemon_avoid_alias(const char *path);
 int offset_1st_component(const char *path);
 
+/* object replacement */
+extern void *read_sha1_file(const unsigned char *sha1, enum object_type *type, unsigned long *size);
+extern const unsigned char *do_lookup_replace_object(const unsigned char *sha1);
+static inline const unsigned char *lookup_replace_object(const unsigned char *sha1)
+{
+	if (!read_replace_refs)
+		return sha1;
+	return do_lookup_replace_object(sha1);
+}
+
 /* Read and unpack a sha1 file into memory, write memory to a sha1 file */
 extern int sha1_object_info(const unsigned char *, unsigned long *);
-extern void *read_sha1_file(const unsigned char *sha1, enum object_type *type, unsigned long *size);
-extern const unsigned char *lookup_replace_object(const unsigned char *sha1);
 extern int hash_sha1_file(const void *buf, unsigned long len, const char *type, unsigned char *sha1);
 extern int write_sha1_file(const void *buf, unsigned long len, const char *type, unsigned char *return_sha1);
 extern int pretend_sha1_file(void *, unsigned long, enum object_type, unsigned char *);
diff --git a/environment.c b/environment.c
index 40185bc854ea2c..91828201d87daf 100644
--- a/environment.c
+++ b/environment.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ const char *editor_program;
 const char *askpass_program;
 const char *excludes_file;
 enum auto_crlf auto_crlf = AUTO_CRLF_FALSE;
-int read_replace_refs = 1;
+int read_replace_refs = 1; /* NEEDSWORK: rename to use_replace_refs */
 enum eol eol = EOL_UNSET;
 enum safe_crlf safe_crlf = SAFE_CRLF_WARN;
 unsigned whitespace_rule_cfg = WS_DEFAULT_RULE;
diff --git a/replace_object.c b/replace_object.c
index 7c6c7544ada458..d0b1548726e9d2 100644
--- a/replace_object.c
+++ b/replace_object.c
@@ -85,12 +85,14 @@ static void prepare_replace_object(void)
 
 	for_each_replace_ref(register_replace_ref, NULL);
 	replace_object_prepared = 1;
+	if (!replace_object_nr)
+		read_replace_refs = 0;
 }
 
 /* We allow "recursive" replacement. Only within reason, though */
 #define MAXREPLACEDEPTH 5
 
-const unsigned char *lookup_replace_object(const unsigned char *sha1)
+const unsigned char *do_lookup_replace_object(const unsigned char *sha1)
 {
 	int pos, depth = MAXREPLACEDEPTH;
 	const unsigned char *cur = sha1;