diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index 82ac2a092c..6b6d9f68e1 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ static void execv_dashed_external(const char **argv)
 	if (get_super_prefix())
 		die("%s doesn't support --super-prefix", argv[0]);
 
-	if (use_pager == -1)
+	if (use_pager == -1 && !is_builtin(argv[0]))
 		use_pager = check_pager_config(argv[0]);
 	commit_pager_choice();
 
diff --git a/t/t7006-pager.sh b/t/t7006-pager.sh
index afa03f3b65..9128ec5acd 100755
--- a/t/t7006-pager.sh
+++ b/t/t7006-pager.sh
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ test_expect_success TTY 'git tag -a respects --paginate' '
 	test -e paginated.out
 '
 
-test_expect_failure TTY 'git tag as alias ignores pager.tag with -a' '
+test_expect_success TTY 'git tag as alias ignores pager.tag with -a' '
 	test_when_finished "git tag -d newtag" &&
 	rm -f paginated.out &&
 	test_terminal git -c pager.tag -c alias.t=tag t -am message newtag &&