diff --git a/builtin/upload-pack.c b/builtin/upload-pack.c
index 9b021ef026..15afb97260 100644
--- a/builtin/upload-pack.c
+++ b/builtin/upload-pack.c
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include "replace-object.h"
 #include "upload-pack.h"
 #include "serve.h"
+#include "commit.h"
 
 static const char * const upload_pack_usage[] = {
 	N_("git-upload-pack [--[no-]strict] [--timeout=<n>] [--stateless-rpc]\n"
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ int cmd_upload_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 	packet_trace_identity("upload-pack");
 	disable_replace_refs();
+	save_commit_buffer = 0;
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, upload_pack_usage, 0);
 
diff --git a/upload-pack.c b/upload-pack.c
index 2a5c52666e..3970bb9b30 100644
--- a/upload-pack.c
+++ b/upload-pack.c
@@ -526,8 +526,6 @@ static int get_common_commits(struct upload_pack_data *data,
 	int got_other = 0;
 	int sent_ready = 0;
 
-	save_commit_buffer = 0;
-
 	for (;;) {
 		const char *arg;