diff --git a/packfile.c b/packfile.c
index 8c6ef45a67..a2ba237ce7 100644
--- a/packfile.c
+++ b/packfile.c
@@ -1586,7 +1586,7 @@ int packed_object_info(struct repository *r, struct packed_git *p,
 	struct pack_window *w_curs = NULL;
 	unsigned long size;
 	off_t curpos = obj_offset;
-	enum object_type type;
+	enum object_type type = OBJ_NONE;
 	int ret;
 
 	/*
@@ -1598,7 +1598,7 @@ int packed_object_info(struct repository *r, struct packed_git *p,
 						      &type);
 		if (!*oi->contentp)
 			type = OBJ_BAD;
-	} else {
+	} else if (oi->sizep || oi->typep || oi->delta_base_oid) {
 		type = unpack_object_header(p, &w_curs, &curpos, &size);
 	}
 
@@ -1662,6 +1662,9 @@ int packed_object_info(struct repository *r, struct packed_git *p,
 	oi->u.packed.pack = p;
 
 	switch (type) {
+	case OBJ_NONE:
+		oi->u.packed.type = PACKED_OBJECT_TYPE_UNKNOWN;
+		break;
 	case OBJ_REF_DELTA:
 		oi->u.packed.type = PACKED_OBJECT_TYPE_REF_DELTA;
 		break;