diff --git a/ref-filter.c b/ref-filter.c
index d3c90e5dbe..bdf39fa761 100644
--- a/ref-filter.c
+++ b/ref-filter.c
@@ -2405,6 +2405,7 @@ static void reach_filter(struct ref_array *array,
 int filter_refs(struct ref_array *array, struct ref_filter *filter, unsigned int type)
 {
 	struct ref_filter_cbdata ref_cbdata;
+	int save_commit_buffer_orig;
 	int ret = 0;
 
 	ref_cbdata.array = array;
@@ -2412,6 +2413,9 @@ int filter_refs(struct ref_array *array, struct ref_filter *filter, unsigned int
 
 	filter->kind = type & FILTER_REFS_KIND_MASK;
 
+	save_commit_buffer_orig = save_commit_buffer;
+	save_commit_buffer = 0;
+
 	init_contains_cache(&ref_cbdata.contains_cache);
 	init_contains_cache(&ref_cbdata.no_contains_cache);
 
@@ -2444,6 +2448,7 @@ int filter_refs(struct ref_array *array, struct ref_filter *filter, unsigned int
 	reach_filter(array, filter->reachable_from, INCLUDE_REACHED);
 	reach_filter(array, filter->unreachable_from, EXCLUDE_REACHED);
 
+	save_commit_buffer = save_commit_buffer_orig;
 	return ret;
 }