diff --git a/tree.c b/tree.c
index 2a677234d6..036f56ca29 100644
--- a/tree.c
+++ b/tree.c
@@ -186,6 +186,12 @@ int parse_tree_buffer(struct tree *item, void *buffer, unsigned long size)
 }
 
 int parse_tree_gently(struct tree *item, int quiet_on_missing)
+{
+	return repo_parse_tree_gently(the_repository, item, quiet_on_missing);
+}
+
+int repo_parse_tree_gently(struct repository *r, struct tree *item,
+			   int quiet_on_missing)
 {
 	 enum object_type type;
 	 void *buffer;
@@ -193,8 +199,7 @@ int parse_tree_gently(struct tree *item, int quiet_on_missing)
 
 	if (item->object.parsed)
 		return 0;
-	buffer = odb_read_object(the_repository->objects, &item->object.oid,
-				 &type, &size);
+	buffer = odb_read_object(r->objects, &item->object.oid, &type, &size);
 	if (!buffer)
 		return quiet_on_missing ? -1 :
 			error("Could not read %s",
@@ -216,7 +221,12 @@ void free_tree_buffer(struct tree *tree)
 
 struct tree *parse_tree_indirect(const struct object_id *oid)
 {
-	struct repository *r = the_repository;
+	return repo_parse_tree_indirect(the_repository, oid);
+}
+
+struct tree *repo_parse_tree_indirect(struct repository *r,
+				      const struct object_id *oid)
+{
 	struct object *obj = parse_object(r, oid);
 	return (struct tree *)repo_peel_to_type(r, NULL, 0, obj, OBJ_TREE);
 }
diff --git a/tree.h b/tree.h
index cc6ddf51b3..9037891d30 100644
--- a/tree.h
+++ b/tree.h
@@ -20,14 +20,22 @@ struct tree *lookup_tree(struct repository *r, const struct object_id *oid);
 int parse_tree_buffer(struct tree *item, void *buffer, unsigned long size);
 
 int parse_tree_gently(struct tree *tree, int quiet_on_missing);
+int repo_parse_tree_gently(struct repository *r, struct tree *item,
+			   int quiet_on_missing);
 static inline int parse_tree(struct tree *tree)
 {
 	return parse_tree_gently(tree, 0);
 }
+static inline int repo_parse_tree(struct repository *r, struct tree *item)
+{
+	return repo_parse_tree_gently(r, item, 0);
+}
 void free_tree_buffer(struct tree *tree);
 
 /* Parses and returns the tree in the given ent, chasing tags and commits. */
 struct tree *parse_tree_indirect(const struct object_id *oid);
+struct tree *repo_parse_tree_indirect(struct repository *r,
+				      const struct object_id *oid);
 
 /*
  * Functions for comparing pathnames