diff --git a/compat/precompose_utf8.c b/compat/precompose_utf8.c
index 079070ff1d..9ff1ebe02b 100644
--- a/compat/precompose_utf8.c
+++ b/compat/precompose_utf8.c
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ void probe_utf8_pathname_composition(void)
 		close(output_fd);
 		git_path_buf(&path, "%s", auml_nfd);
 		precomposed_unicode = access(path.buf, R_OK) ? 0 : 1;
-		git_config_set("core.precomposeunicode", precomposed_unicode ? "true" : "false");
+		git_config_set_or_die("core.precomposeunicode",
+				      precomposed_unicode ? "true" : "false");
 		git_path_buf(&path, "%s", auml_nfc);
 		if (unlink(path.buf))
 			die_errno(_("failed to unlink '%s'"), path.buf);