diff --git a/pack-revindex.c b/pack-revindex.c
index e3d69cc0f7..44e1b3fed9 100644
--- a/pack-revindex.c
+++ b/pack-revindex.c
@@ -205,6 +205,9 @@ static int load_revindex_from_disk(char *revindex_name,
 	size_t revindex_size;
 	struct revindex_header *hdr;
 
+	if (git_env_bool(GIT_TEST_REV_INDEX_DIE_ON_DISK, 0))
+		die("dying as requested by '%s'", GIT_TEST_REV_INDEX_DIE_ON_DISK);
+
 	fd = git_open(revindex_name);
 
 	if (fd < 0) {
diff --git a/pack-revindex.h b/pack-revindex.h
index 3d1969ce8b..ef8afee88b 100644
--- a/pack-revindex.h
+++ b/pack-revindex.h
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 
 #define GIT_TEST_WRITE_REV_INDEX "GIT_TEST_WRITE_REV_INDEX"
 #define GIT_TEST_REV_INDEX_DIE_IN_MEMORY "GIT_TEST_REV_INDEX_DIE_IN_MEMORY"
+#define GIT_TEST_REV_INDEX_DIE_ON_DISK "GIT_TEST_REV_INDEX_DIE_ON_DISK"
 
 struct packed_git;
 struct multi_pack_index;