diff --git a/attr.c b/attr.c
index c61472a4e6..0e63f1b6de 100644
--- a/attr.c
+++ b/attr.c
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ static enum git_attr_direction direction;
 
 void git_attr_set_direction(enum git_attr_direction new_direction)
 {
-	if (is_bare_repository() && new_direction != GIT_ATTR_INDEX)
+	if (is_bare_repository(the_repository) && new_direction != GIT_ATTR_INDEX)
 		BUG("non-INDEX attr direction in a bare repo");
 
 	if (new_direction != direction)
@@ -848,7 +848,7 @@ static struct attr_stack *read_attr(struct index_state *istate,
 		res = read_attr_from_index(istate, path, flags);
 	} else if (tree_oid) {
 		res = read_attr_from_blob(istate, tree_oid, path, flags);
-	} else if (!is_bare_repository()) {
+	} else if (!is_bare_repository(the_repository)) {
 		if (direction == GIT_ATTR_CHECKOUT) {
 			res = read_attr_from_index(istate, path, flags);
 			if (!res)
diff --git a/builtin/bisect.c b/builtin/bisect.c
index e7c2d2f3bb..798e28f501 100644
--- a/builtin/bisect.c
+++ b/builtin/bisect.c
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@ static enum bisect_error bisect_start(struct bisect_terms *terms, int argc,
 	struct object_id oid;
 	const char *head;
 
-	if (is_bare_repository())
+	if (is_bare_repository(the_repository))
 		no_checkout = 1;
 
 	/*
diff --git a/builtin/blame.c b/builtin/blame.c
index ffbd3ce5c5..553f4cb780 100644
--- a/builtin/blame.c
+++ b/builtin/blame.c
@@ -1163,7 +1163,7 @@ parse_done:
 
 	revs.disable_stdin = 1;
 	setup_revisions(argc, argv, &revs, NULL);
-	if (!revs.pending.nr && is_bare_repository()) {
+	if (!revs.pending.nr && is_bare_repository(the_repository)) {
 		struct commit *head_commit;
 		struct object_id head_oid;
 
diff --git a/builtin/check-attr.c b/builtin/check-attr.c
index 98f64d5b92..217d83ea7d 100644
--- a/builtin/check-attr.c
+++ b/builtin/check-attr.c
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ int cmd_check_attr(int argc,
 	struct object_id initialized_oid;
 	int cnt, i, doubledash, filei;
 
-	if (!is_bare_repository())
+	if (!is_bare_repository(the_repository))
 		setup_work_tree(the_repository);
 
 	repo_config(the_repository, git_default_config, NULL);
diff --git a/builtin/fetch.c b/builtin/fetch.c
index c1d7c672f4..44b8c70da1 100644
--- a/builtin/fetch.c
+++ b/builtin/fetch.c
@@ -1764,7 +1764,7 @@ static int set_head(const struct ref *remote_refs, struct remote *remote)
 
 	if (!head_name)
 		goto cleanup;
-	baremirror = is_bare_repository() && remote->mirror;
+	baremirror = is_bare_repository(the_repository) && remote->mirror;
 	create_only = follow_remote_head == FOLLOW_REMOTE_ALWAYS ? 0 : !baremirror;
 	if (baremirror) {
 		strbuf_addstr(&b_head, "HEAD");
diff --git a/builtin/gc.c b/builtin/gc.c
index c26c93ee0f..d32af422af 100644
--- a/builtin/gc.c
+++ b/builtin/gc.c
@@ -902,7 +902,7 @@ int cmd_gc(int argc,
 		die(_("failed to parse gc.logExpiry value %s"), cfg.gc_log_expire);
 
 	if (cfg.pack_refs < 0)
-		cfg.pack_refs = !is_bare_repository();
+		cfg.pack_refs = !is_bare_repository(the_repository);
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, builtin_gc_options,
 			     builtin_gc_usage, 0);
diff --git a/builtin/history.c b/builtin/history.c
index 091465a59e..fd83de8265 100644
--- a/builtin/history.c
+++ b/builtin/history.c
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ static int cmd_history_fixup(int argc,
 	if (action == REF_ACTION_DEFAULT)
 		action = REF_ACTION_BRANCHES;
 
-	if (is_bare_repository()) {
+	if (is_bare_repository(repo)) {
 		ret = error(_("cannot run fixup in a bare repository"));
 		goto out;
 	}
diff --git a/builtin/init-db.c b/builtin/init-db.c
index c55517ad94..566732c9f4 100644
--- a/builtin/init-db.c
+++ b/builtin/init-db.c
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ int cmd_init_db(int argc,
 	const char *template_dir = NULL;
 	char *template_dir_to_free = NULL;
 	unsigned int flags = 0;
+	int bare = startup_info->force_bare_repository ? 1 : -1;
 	const char *object_format = NULL;
 	const char *ref_format = NULL;
 	const char *initial_branch = NULL;
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ int cmd_init_db(int argc,
 	const struct option init_db_options[] = {
 		OPT_STRING(0, "template", &template_dir, N_("template-directory"),
 				N_("directory from which templates will be used")),
-		OPT_SET_INT(0, "bare", &is_bare_repository_cfg,
+		OPT_SET_INT(0, "bare", &bare,
 				N_("create a bare repository"), 1),
 		{
 			.type = OPTION_CALLBACK,
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@ int cmd_init_db(int argc,
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, init_db_options, init_db_usage, 0);
 
-	if (real_git_dir && is_bare_repository_cfg == 1)
+	if (real_git_dir && bare == 1)
 		die(_("options '%s' and '%s' cannot be used together"), "--separate-git-dir", "--bare");
 
 	if (real_git_dir && !is_absolute_path(real_git_dir))
@@ -160,7 +161,7 @@ int cmd_init_db(int argc,
 	} else if (0 < argc) {
 		usage(init_db_usage[0]);
 	}
-	if (is_bare_repository_cfg == 1) {
+	if (bare == 1) {
 		char *cwd = xgetcwd();
 		setenv(GIT_DIR_ENVIRONMENT, cwd, argc > 0);
 		free(cwd);
@@ -187,7 +188,7 @@ int cmd_init_db(int argc,
 	 */
 	git_dir = xstrdup_or_null(getenv(GIT_DIR_ENVIRONMENT));
 	work_tree = xstrdup_or_null(getenv(GIT_WORK_TREE_ENVIRONMENT));
-	if ((!git_dir || is_bare_repository_cfg == 1) && work_tree)
+	if ((!git_dir || bare == 1) && work_tree)
 		die(_("%s (or --work-tree=<directory>) not allowed without "
 			  "specifying %s (or --git-dir=<directory>)"),
 		    GIT_WORK_TREE_ENVIRONMENT,
@@ -224,22 +225,31 @@ int cmd_init_db(int argc,
 		strbuf_release(&sb);
 	}
 
-	if (is_bare_repository_cfg < 0)
-		is_bare_repository_cfg = guess_repository_type(git_dir);
+	if (bare < 0)
+		bare = guess_repository_type(git_dir);
 
-	if (!is_bare_repository_cfg) {
+	if (!bare) {
 		const char *git_dir_parent = strrchr(git_dir, '/');
-		if (git_dir_parent) {
-			char *rel = xstrndup(git_dir, git_dir_parent - git_dir);
-			git_work_tree_cfg = real_pathdup(rel, 1);
-			free(rel);
-		}
-		if (!git_work_tree_cfg)
-			git_work_tree_cfg = xgetcwd();
-		if (work_tree)
+
+		if (work_tree) {
 			set_git_work_tree(the_repository, work_tree);
-		else
-			set_git_work_tree(the_repository, git_work_tree_cfg);
+		} else {
+			char *work_tree_cfg = NULL;
+
+			if (git_dir_parent) {
+				char *rel = xstrndup(git_dir, git_dir_parent - git_dir);
+				work_tree_cfg = real_pathdup(rel, 1);
+				free(rel);
+			}
+
+			if (!work_tree_cfg)
+				work_tree_cfg = xgetcwd();
+
+			set_git_work_tree(the_repository, work_tree_cfg);
+
+			free(work_tree_cfg);
+		}
+
 		if (access(repo_get_work_tree(the_repository), X_OK))
 			die_errno (_("Cannot access work tree '%s'"),
 				   repo_get_work_tree(the_repository));
diff --git a/builtin/repack.c b/builtin/repack.c
index 1524a9c13a..d0465fb4f5 100644
--- a/builtin/repack.c
+++ b/builtin/repack.c
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #define DISABLE_SIGN_COMPARE_WARNINGS
 
 #include "builtin.h"
@@ -265,7 +264,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc,
 
 	if (write_bitmaps < 0) {
 		if (write_midx == REPACK_WRITE_MIDX_NONE &&
-		    (!(pack_everything & ALL_INTO_ONE) || !is_bare_repository()))
+		    (!(pack_everything & ALL_INTO_ONE) || !is_bare_repository(repo)))
 			write_bitmaps = 0;
 	}
 	if (po_args.pack_kept_objects < 0)
diff --git a/builtin/repo.c b/builtin/repo.c
index 69f3626467..cb33a8b851 100644
--- a/builtin/repo.c
+++ b/builtin/repo.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ struct repo_info_field {
 
 static int get_layout_bare(struct repository *repo UNUSED, struct strbuf *buf)
 {
-	strbuf_addstr(buf, is_bare_repository() ? "true" : "false");
+	strbuf_addstr(buf, is_bare_repository(the_repository) ? "true" : "false");
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/builtin/reset.c b/builtin/reset.c
index 3be6bd0121..78e69bd84b 100644
--- a/builtin/reset.c
+++ b/builtin/reset.c
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ int cmd_reset(int argc,
 	if (reset_type != SOFT && (reset_type != MIXED || repo_get_work_tree(the_repository)))
 		setup_work_tree(the_repository);
 
-	if (reset_type == MIXED && is_bare_repository())
+	if (reset_type == MIXED && is_bare_repository(the_repository))
 		die(_("%s reset is not allowed in a bare repository"),
 		    _(reset_type_names[reset_type]));
 
diff --git a/builtin/rev-parse.c b/builtin/rev-parse.c
index bb882678fe..090e5cfbb0 100644
--- a/builtin/rev-parse.c
+++ b/builtin/rev-parse.c
@@ -1084,7 +1084,7 @@ int cmd_rev_parse(int argc,
 				continue;
 			}
 			if (!strcmp(arg, "--is-bare-repository")) {
-				printf("%s\n", is_bare_repository() ? "true"
+				printf("%s\n", is_bare_repository(the_repository) ? "true"
 						: "false");
 				continue;
 			}
diff --git a/environment.c b/environment.c
index ba2c60103f..bee2cd621a 100644
--- a/environment.c
+++ b/environment.c
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ int has_symlinks = 1;
 int minimum_abbrev = 4, default_abbrev = -1;
 int ignore_case;
 int assume_unchanged;
-int is_bare_repository_cfg = -1; /* unspecified */
 char *git_commit_encoding;
 char *git_log_output_encoding;
 char *apply_default_whitespace;
@@ -92,9 +91,6 @@ int auto_comment_line_char;
 bool warn_on_auto_comment_char;
 #endif /* !WITH_BREAKING_CHANGES */
 
-/* This is set by setup_git_directory_gently() and/or git_default_config() */
-char *git_work_tree_cfg;
-
 /*
  * Repository-local GIT_* environment variables; see environment.h for details.
  */
@@ -128,10 +124,10 @@ const char *getenv_safe(struct strvec *argv, const char *name)
 	return argv->v[argv->nr - 1];
 }
 
-int is_bare_repository(void)
+int is_bare_repository(struct repository *repo)
 {
 	/* if core.bare is not 'false', let's see if there is a work tree */
-	return is_bare_repository_cfg && !repo_get_work_tree(the_repository);
+	return repo->bare_cfg && !repo_get_work_tree(repo);
 }
 
 int have_git_dir(void)
@@ -337,7 +333,7 @@ int git_default_core_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 	}
 
 	if (!strcmp(var, "core.bare")) {
-		is_bare_repository_cfg = git_config_bool(var, value);
+		the_repository->bare_cfg = git_config_bool(var, value);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
diff --git a/environment.h b/environment.h
index 6f18286955..f5b9b33c90 100644
--- a/environment.h
+++ b/environment.h
@@ -135,6 +135,8 @@ int git_default_core_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 
 void repo_config_values_init(struct repo_config_values *cfg);
 
+int is_bare_repository(struct repository *repo);
+
 /*
  * TODO: All the below state either explicitly or implicitly relies on
  * `the_repository`. We should eventually get rid of these and make the
@@ -157,10 +159,6 @@ void repo_config_values_init(struct repo_config_values *cfg);
  */
 int have_git_dir(void);
 
-extern int is_bare_repository_cfg;
-int is_bare_repository(void);
-extern char *git_work_tree_cfg;
-
 /* Environment bits from configuration mechanism */
 extern int trust_executable_bit;
 extern int has_symlinks;
diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index 36f08891ef..387eabe38c 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ static int handle_options(const char ***argv, int *argc, int *envchanged)
 				*envchanged = 1;
 		} else if (!strcmp(cmd, "--bare")) {
 			char *cwd = xgetcwd();
-			is_bare_repository_cfg = 1;
+			startup_info->force_bare_repository = true;
 			setenv(GIT_DIR_ENVIRONMENT, cwd, 0);
 			free(cwd);
 			setenv(GIT_IMPLICIT_WORK_TREE_ENVIRONMENT, "0", 1);
diff --git a/mailmap.c b/mailmap.c
index 72b639e602..1386ab208c 100644
--- a/mailmap.c
+++ b/mailmap.c
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
-
 #include "git-compat-util.h"
 #include "environment.h"
 #include "string-list.h"
@@ -219,10 +217,10 @@ int read_mailmap(struct repository *repo, struct string_list *map)
 	map->strdup_strings = 1;
 	map->cmp = namemap_cmp;
 
-	if (!mailmap_blob && is_bare_repository())
+	if (!mailmap_blob && is_bare_repository(repo))
 		mailmap_blob = xstrdup("HEAD:.mailmap");
 
-	if (!startup_info->have_repository || !is_bare_repository())
+	if (!startup_info->have_repository || !is_bare_repository(repo))
 		err |= read_mailmap_file(map, ".mailmap",
 					 startup_info->have_repository ?
 					 MAILMAP_NOFOLLOW : 0);
diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index a4c7858787..2b27091484 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -1865,7 +1865,7 @@ static int log_ref_setup(struct files_ref_store *refs,
 	char *logfile;
 
 	if (log_refs_cfg == LOG_REFS_UNSET)
-		log_refs_cfg = is_bare_repository() ? LOG_REFS_NONE : LOG_REFS_NORMAL;
+		log_refs_cfg = is_bare_repository(the_repository) ? LOG_REFS_NONE : LOG_REFS_NORMAL;
 
 	files_reflog_path(refs, &logfile_sb, refname);
 	logfile = strbuf_detach(&logfile_sb, NULL);
diff --git a/refs/reftable-backend.c b/refs/reftable-backend.c
index 4ae22922de..c151d331e7 100644
--- a/refs/reftable-backend.c
+++ b/refs/reftable-backend.c
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
-
 #include "../git-compat-util.h"
 #include "../abspath.h"
 #include "../chdir-notify.h"
@@ -288,7 +286,7 @@ static int should_write_log(struct reftable_ref_store *refs, const char *refname
 {
 	enum log_refs_config log_refs_cfg = refs->log_all_ref_updates;
 	if (log_refs_cfg == LOG_REFS_UNSET)
-		log_refs_cfg = is_bare_repository() ? LOG_REFS_NONE : LOG_REFS_NORMAL;
+		log_refs_cfg = is_bare_repository(refs->base.repo) ? LOG_REFS_NONE : LOG_REFS_NORMAL;
 
 	switch (log_refs_cfg) {
 	case LOG_REFS_NONE:
diff --git a/repository.c b/repository.c
index 187dd471c4..c1e91eb0da 100644
--- a/repository.c
+++ b/repository.c
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ void initialize_repository(struct repository *repo)
 	ALLOC_ARRAY(repo->index, 1);
 	index_state_init(repo->index, repo);
 	repo->check_deprecated_config = true;
+	repo->bare_cfg = -1;
 	repo_config_values_init(&repo->config_values_private_);
 
 	/*
diff --git a/repository.h b/repository.h
index 36e2db2633..7d649e32e7 100644
--- a/repository.h
+++ b/repository.h
@@ -117,6 +117,13 @@ struct repository {
 	bool worktree_initialized;
 	bool worktree_config_is_bogus;
 
+	/*
+	 * Whether the repository is bare, as set by "core.bare" config or
+	 * inferred during repository discovery. -1 means unset/unknown, 0
+	 * means non-bare, 1 means bare.
+	 */
+	int bare_cfg;
+
 	/*
 	 * Path from the root of the top-level superproject down to this
 	 * repository.  This is only non-NULL if the repository is initialized
diff --git a/setup.c b/setup.c
index b4652651df..65f4ac95a8 100644
--- a/setup.c
+++ b/setup.c
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #define DISABLE_SIGN_COMPARE_WARNINGS
 
 #include "git-compat-util.h"
@@ -795,14 +794,23 @@ static int check_repository_format_gently(const char *gitdir,
 		has_common = 0;
 	}
 
-	if (!has_common) {
-		if (candidate->is_bare != -1) {
-			is_bare_repository_cfg = candidate->is_bare;
-		}
-		if (candidate->work_tree) {
-			free(git_work_tree_cfg);
-			git_work_tree_cfg = xstrdup(candidate->work_tree);
-		}
+	if (startup_info->force_bare_repository) {
+		candidate->is_bare = 1;
+		FREE_AND_NULL(candidate->work_tree);
+	} else if (has_common) {
+		/*
+		 * When sharing a common dir with another repository (e.g. a
+		 * linked worktree), do not let this repository's config
+		 * dictate bareness; it is inherited from the main worktree.
+		 */
+		candidate->is_bare = -1;
+
+		/*
+		 * Furthermore, "core.worktree" is supposed to be ignored when
+		 * we have a commondir configured, unless it comes from the
+		 * per-worktree configuration.
+		 */
+		FREE_AND_NULL(candidate->work_tree);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -1141,8 +1149,8 @@ static const char *setup_explicit_git_dir(struct repository *repo,
 	/* #3, #7, #11, #15, #19, #23, #27, #31 (see t1510) */
 	if (work_tree_env)
 		set_git_work_tree(repo, work_tree_env);
-	else if (is_bare_repository_cfg > 0) {
-		if (git_work_tree_cfg) {
+	else if (repo_fmt->is_bare > 0) {
+		if (repo_fmt->work_tree) {
 			/* #22.2, #30 */
 			warning("core.bare and core.worktree do not make sense");
 			repo->worktree_config_is_bogus = true;
@@ -1153,15 +1161,15 @@ static const char *setup_explicit_git_dir(struct repository *repo,
 		free(gitfile);
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	else if (git_work_tree_cfg) { /* #6, #14 */
-		if (is_absolute_path(git_work_tree_cfg))
-			set_git_work_tree(repo, git_work_tree_cfg);
+	else if (repo_fmt->work_tree) { /* #6, #14 */
+		if (is_absolute_path(repo_fmt->work_tree))
+			set_git_work_tree(repo, repo_fmt->work_tree);
 		else {
 			char *core_worktree;
 			if (chdir(gitdirenv))
 				die_errno(_("cannot chdir to '%s'"), gitdirenv);
-			if (chdir(git_work_tree_cfg))
-				die_errno(_("cannot chdir to '%s'"), git_work_tree_cfg);
+			if (chdir(repo_fmt->work_tree))
+				die_errno(_("cannot chdir to '%s'"), repo_fmt->work_tree);
 			core_worktree = xgetcwd();
 			if (chdir(cwd->buf))
 				die_errno(_("cannot come back to cwd"));
@@ -1214,7 +1222,7 @@ static const char *setup_discovered_git_dir(struct repository *repo,
 		return NULL;
 
 	/* --work-tree is set without --git-dir; use discovered one */
-	if (getenv(GIT_WORK_TREE_ENVIRONMENT) || git_work_tree_cfg) {
+	if (getenv(GIT_WORK_TREE_ENVIRONMENT) || repo_fmt->work_tree) {
 		char *to_free = NULL;
 		const char *ret;
 
@@ -1228,7 +1236,7 @@ static const char *setup_discovered_git_dir(struct repository *repo,
 	}
 
 	/* #16.2, #17.2, #20.2, #21.2, #24, #25, #28, #29 (see t1510) */
-	if (is_bare_repository_cfg > 0) {
+	if (repo_fmt->is_bare > 0) {
 		set_git_dir(repo, gitdir, (offset != cwd->len));
 		if (chdir(cwd->buf))
 			die_errno(_("cannot come back to cwd"));
@@ -1264,7 +1272,7 @@ static const char *setup_bare_git_dir(struct repository *repo,
 	setenv(GIT_IMPLICIT_WORK_TREE_ENVIRONMENT, "0", 1);
 
 	/* --work-tree is set without --git-dir; use discovered one */
-	if (getenv(GIT_WORK_TREE_ENVIRONMENT) || git_work_tree_cfg) {
+	if (getenv(GIT_WORK_TREE_ENVIRONMENT) || repo_fmt->work_tree) {
 		static const char *gitdir;
 
 		gitdir = offset == cwd->len ? "." : xmemdupz(cwd->buf, offset);
@@ -1765,6 +1773,7 @@ int apply_repository_format(struct repository *repo,
 		alternate_object_directories = xstrdup_or_null(getenv(ALTERNATE_DB_ENVIRONMENT));
 	}
 
+	repo->bare_cfg = format->is_bare;
 	repo_set_hash_algo(repo, format->hash_algo);
 	repo->objects = odb_new(repo, object_directory,
 				alternate_object_directories);
@@ -2574,7 +2583,7 @@ static int create_default_files(struct repository *repo,
 		repo_settings_set_shared_repository(repo,
 						    init_shared_repository);
 
-	is_bare_repository_cfg = !work_tree;
+	repo->bare_cfg = !work_tree;
 
 	/*
 	 * We would have created the above under user's umask -- under
@@ -2600,7 +2609,7 @@ static int create_default_files(struct repository *repo,
 	}
 	repo_config_set(repo, "core.filemode", filemode ? "true" : "false");
 
-	if (is_bare_repository())
+	if (is_bare_repository(repo))
 		repo_config_set(repo, "core.bare", "true");
 	else {
 		repo_config_set(repo, "core.bare", "false");
diff --git a/setup.h b/setup.h
index 705d1d6ff7..b9fd96bea6 100644
--- a/setup.h
+++ b/setup.h
@@ -292,6 +292,12 @@ enum sharedrepo {
 int git_config_perm(const char *var, const char *value);
 
 struct startup_info {
+	/*
+	 * Whether the user is asking us to treat the repository as bare via
+	 * `git --bare`, even if it's not.
+	 */
+	bool force_bare_repository;
+
 	int have_repository;
 	const char *prefix;
 	const char *original_cwd;
diff --git a/transport.c b/transport.c
index 0f5ec30247..fc144f0aed 100644
--- a/transport.c
+++ b/transport.c
@@ -1482,7 +1482,7 @@ int transport_push(struct repository *r,
 
 	if ((flags & (TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ON_DEMAND |
 		      TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ONLY)) &&
-	    !is_bare_repository()) {
+	    !is_bare_repository(the_repository)) {
 		struct ref *ref = remote_refs;
 		struct oid_array commits = OID_ARRAY_INIT;
 
@@ -1509,7 +1509,7 @@ int transport_push(struct repository *r,
 	if (((flags & TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_CHECK) ||
 	     ((flags & (TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ON_DEMAND |
 			TRANSPORT_RECURSE_SUBMODULES_ONLY)) &&
-	      !pretend)) && !is_bare_repository()) {
+	      !pretend)) && !is_bare_repository(the_repository)) {
 		struct ref *ref = remote_refs;
 		struct string_list needs_pushing = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 		struct oid_array commits = OID_ARRAY_INIT;
diff --git a/worktree.c b/worktree.c
index 97eddc3916..30125827fd 100644
--- a/worktree.c
+++ b/worktree.c
@@ -123,8 +123,8 @@ static struct worktree *get_main_worktree(int skip_reading_head)
 	worktree->repo = the_repository;
 	worktree->path = strbuf_detach(&worktree_path, NULL);
 	worktree->is_current = is_current_worktree(worktree);
-	worktree->is_bare = (is_bare_repository_cfg == 1) ||
-		is_bare_repository() ||
+	worktree->is_bare = (the_repository->bare_cfg == 1) ||
+		is_bare_repository(the_repository) ||
 		/*
 		 * When in a secondary worktree we have to also verify if the main
 		 * worktree is bare in $commondir/config.worktree.