diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index d349d52f26..68a2f939ef 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -2221,9 +2221,13 @@ void git_config_set_multivar_in_file(const char *config_filename,
 				     const char *key, const char *value,
 				     const char *value_regex, int multi_replace)
 {
-	if (git_config_set_multivar_in_file_gently(config_filename, key, value,
-						   value_regex, multi_replace))
+	if (!git_config_set_multivar_in_file_gently(config_filename, key, value,
+						    value_regex, multi_replace))
+		return;
+	if (value)
 		die(_("could not set '%s' to '%s'"), key, value);
+	else
+		die(_("could not unset '%s'"), key);
 }
 
 int git_config_set_multivar_gently(const char *key, const char *value,