diff --git a/builtin/hash-object.c b/builtin/hash-object.c
index a25f0403f4..e7c0d6afde 100644
--- a/builtin/hash-object.c
+++ b/builtin/hash-object.c
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@
 #include "strbuf.h"
 #include "write-or-die.h"
 
+enum {
+	HASH_OBJECT_CHECK = (1 << 0),
+	HASH_OBJECT_WRITE = (1 << 1),
+};
+
 /*
  * This is to create corrupt objects for debugging and as such it
  * needs to bypass the data conversion performed by, and the type
@@ -33,7 +38,7 @@ static int hash_literally(struct object_id *oid, int fd, const char *type, unsig
 		ret = -1;
 	else
 		ret = write_object_file_literally(buf.buf, buf.len, type, oid,
-						 flags);
+						  (flags & HASH_OBJECT_WRITE) ? WRITE_OBJECT_FILE_PERSIST : 0);
 	close(fd);
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
 	return ret;
@@ -42,15 +47,21 @@ static int hash_literally(struct object_id *oid, int fd, const char *type, unsig
 static void hash_fd(int fd, const char *type, const char *path, unsigned flags,
 		    int literally)
 {
+	unsigned int index_flags = 0;
 	struct stat st;
 	struct object_id oid;
 
+	if (flags & HASH_OBJECT_WRITE)
+		index_flags |= INDEX_WRITE_OBJECT;
+	if (flags & HASH_OBJECT_CHECK)
+		index_flags |= INDEX_FORMAT_CHECK;
+
 	if (fstat(fd, &st) < 0 ||
 	    (literally
 	     ? hash_literally(&oid, fd, type, flags)
 	     : index_fd(the_repository->index, &oid, fd, &st,
-			type_from_string(type), path, flags)))
-		die((flags & HASH_WRITE_OBJECT)
+			type_from_string(type), path, index_flags)))
+		die((flags & HASH_OBJECT_WRITE)
 		    ? "Unable to add %s to database"
 		    : "Unable to hash %s", path);
 	printf("%s\n", oid_to_hex(&oid));
@@ -102,13 +113,13 @@ int cmd_hash_object(int argc,
 	int no_filters = 0;
 	int literally = 0;
 	int nongit = 0;
-	unsigned flags = HASH_FORMAT_CHECK;
+	unsigned flags = HASH_OBJECT_CHECK;
 	const char *vpath = NULL;
 	char *vpath_free = NULL;
 	const struct option hash_object_options[] = {
 		OPT_STRING('t', NULL, &type, N_("type"), N_("object type")),
 		OPT_BIT('w', NULL, &flags, N_("write the object into the object database"),
-			HASH_WRITE_OBJECT),
+			HASH_OBJECT_WRITE),
 		OPT_COUNTUP( 0 , "stdin", &hashstdin, N_("read the object from stdin")),
 		OPT_BOOL( 0 , "stdin-paths", &stdin_paths, N_("read file names from stdin")),
 		OPT_BOOL( 0 , "no-filters", &no_filters, N_("store file as is without filters")),
@@ -122,7 +133,7 @@ int cmd_hash_object(int argc,
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, hash_object_options,
 			     hash_object_usage, 0);
 
-	if (flags & HASH_WRITE_OBJECT)
+	if (flags & HASH_OBJECT_WRITE)
 		prefix = setup_git_directory();
 	else
 		prefix = setup_git_directory_gently(&nongit);
diff --git a/builtin/replace.c b/builtin/replace.c
index 15ec0922ce..2b4fc9a68b 100644
--- a/builtin/replace.c
+++ b/builtin/replace.c
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ static int import_object(struct object_id *oid, enum object_type type,
 		strbuf_release(&result);
 	} else {
 		struct stat st;
-		int flags = HASH_FORMAT_CHECK | HASH_WRITE_OBJECT;
+		int flags = INDEX_FORMAT_CHECK | INDEX_WRITE_OBJECT;
 
 		if (fstat(fd, &st) < 0) {
 			error_errno(_("unable to fstat %s"), filename);
diff --git a/builtin/update-index.c b/builtin/update-index.c
index b2f6b1a3fb..f0cf964294 100644
--- a/builtin/update-index.c
+++ b/builtin/update-index.c
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ static int add_one_path(const struct cache_entry *old, const char *path, int len
 	ce->ce_mode = ce_mode_from_stat(old, st->st_mode);
 
 	if (index_path(the_repository->index, &ce->oid, path, st,
-		       info_only ? 0 : HASH_WRITE_OBJECT)) {
+		       info_only ? 0 : INDEX_WRITE_OBJECT)) {
 		discard_cache_entry(ce);
 		return -1;
 	}
diff --git a/bulk-checkin.c b/bulk-checkin.c
index 23ac00ea0a..309201a76a 100644
--- a/bulk-checkin.c
+++ b/bulk-checkin.c
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ static int stream_blob_to_pack(struct bulk_checkin_packfile *state,
 	unsigned char obuf[16384];
 	unsigned hdrlen;
 	int status = Z_OK;
-	int write_object = (flags & HASH_WRITE_OBJECT);
+	int write_object = (flags & INDEX_WRITE_OBJECT);
 	off_t offset = 0;
 
 	git_deflate_init(&s, pack_compression_level);
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ static int stream_blob_to_pack(struct bulk_checkin_packfile *state,
 static void prepare_to_stream(struct bulk_checkin_packfile *state,
 			      unsigned flags)
 {
-	if (!(flags & HASH_WRITE_OBJECT) || state->f)
+	if (!(flags & INDEX_WRITE_OBJECT) || state->f)
 		return;
 
 	state->f = create_tmp_packfile(the_repository, &state->pack_tmp_name);
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ static int deflate_blob_to_pack(struct bulk_checkin_packfile *state,
 	git_hash_update(&ctx, obuf, header_len);
 
 	/* Note: idx is non-NULL when we are writing */
-	if ((flags & HASH_WRITE_OBJECT) != 0) {
+	if ((flags & INDEX_WRITE_OBJECT) != 0) {
 		CALLOC_ARRAY(idx, 1);
 
 		prepare_to_stream(state, flags);
diff --git a/cache-tree.c b/cache-tree.c
index bcbcad3d61..4c8167ea92 100644
--- a/cache-tree.c
+++ b/cache-tree.c
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ static int update_one(struct cache_tree *it,
 				 OBJ_TREE, &it->oid);
 	} else if (write_object_file_flags(buffer.buf, buffer.len, OBJ_TREE,
 					   &it->oid, NULL, flags & WRITE_TREE_SILENT
-					   ? HASH_SILENT : 0)) {
+					   ? WRITE_OBJECT_FILE_SILENT : 0)) {
 		strbuf_release(&buffer);
 		return -1;
 	}
diff --git a/notes-merge.c b/notes-merge.c
index fce4504365..520b92942c 100644
--- a/notes-merge.c
+++ b/notes-merge.c
@@ -729,7 +729,7 @@ int notes_merge_commit(struct notes_merge_options *o,
 		/* write file as blob, and add to partial_tree */
 		if (stat(path.buf, &st))
 			die_errno("Failed to stat '%s'", path.buf);
-		if (index_path(o->repo->index, &blob_oid, path.buf, &st, HASH_WRITE_OBJECT))
+		if (index_path(o->repo->index, &blob_oid, path.buf, &st, INDEX_WRITE_OBJECT))
 			die("Failed to write blob object from '%s'", path.buf);
 		if (add_note(partial_tree, &obj_oid, &blob_oid, NULL))
 			die("Failed to add resolved note '%s' to notes tree",
diff --git a/object-file.c b/object-file.c
index baa828822e..2051991f4d 100644
--- a/object-file.c
+++ b/object-file.c
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@
 
 static int get_conv_flags(unsigned flags)
 {
-	if (flags & HASH_RENORMALIZE)
+	if (flags & INDEX_RENORMALIZE)
 		return CONV_EOL_RENORMALIZE;
-	else if (flags & HASH_WRITE_OBJECT)
+	else if (flags & INDEX_WRITE_OBJECT)
 		return global_conv_flags_eol | CONV_WRITE_OBJECT;
 	else
 		return 0;
@@ -835,7 +835,7 @@ static int start_loose_object_common(struct strbuf *tmp_file,
 
 	fd = create_tmpfile(tmp_file, filename);
 	if (fd < 0) {
-		if (flags & HASH_SILENT)
+		if (flags & WRITE_OBJECT_FILE_SILENT)
 			return -1;
 		else if (errno == EACCES)
 			return error(_("insufficient permission for adding "
@@ -967,7 +967,7 @@ static int write_loose_object(const struct object_id *oid, char *hdr,
 		utb.actime = mtime;
 		utb.modtime = mtime;
 		if (utime(tmp_file.buf, &utb) < 0 &&
-		    !(flags & HASH_SILENT))
+		    !(flags & WRITE_OBJECT_FILE_SILENT))
 			warning_errno(_("failed utime() on %s"), tmp_file.buf);
 	}
 
@@ -1179,7 +1179,7 @@ int write_object_file_literally(const void *buf, unsigned long len,
 	write_object_file_prepare_literally(the_hash_algo, buf, len, type,
 					    oid, header, &hdrlen);
 
-	if (!(flags & HASH_WRITE_OBJECT))
+	if (!(flags & WRITE_OBJECT_FILE_PERSIST))
 		goto cleanup;
 	if (freshen_packed_object(oid) || freshen_loose_object(oid))
 		goto cleanup;
@@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@ static int index_mem(struct index_state *istate,
 {
 	struct strbuf nbuf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int ret = 0;
-	int write_object = flags & HASH_WRITE_OBJECT;
+	int write_object = flags & INDEX_WRITE_OBJECT;
 
 	if (!type)
 		type = OBJ_BLOB;
@@ -1265,7 +1265,7 @@ static int index_mem(struct index_state *istate,
 			size = nbuf.len;
 		}
 	}
-	if (flags & HASH_FORMAT_CHECK) {
+	if (flags & INDEX_FORMAT_CHECK) {
 		struct fsck_options opts = FSCK_OPTIONS_DEFAULT;
 
 		opts.strict = 1;
@@ -1291,7 +1291,7 @@ static int index_stream_convert_blob(struct index_state *istate,
 				     unsigned flags)
 {
 	int ret = 0;
-	const int write_object = flags & HASH_WRITE_OBJECT;
+	const int write_object = flags & INDEX_WRITE_OBJECT;
 	struct strbuf sbuf = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	assert(path);
@@ -1423,7 +1423,7 @@ int index_path(struct index_state *istate, struct object_id *oid,
 	case S_IFLNK:
 		if (strbuf_readlink(&sb, path, st->st_size))
 			return error_errno("readlink(\"%s\")", path);
-		if (!(flags & HASH_WRITE_OBJECT))
+		if (!(flags & INDEX_WRITE_OBJECT))
 			hash_object_file(the_hash_algo, sb.buf, sb.len,
 					 OBJ_BLOB, oid);
 		else if (write_object_file(sb.buf, sb.len, OBJ_BLOB, oid))
diff --git a/object-file.h b/object-file.h
index 78c84d970a..c002fbe234 100644
--- a/object-file.h
+++ b/object-file.h
@@ -14,10 +14,12 @@ struct index_state;
  */
 extern int fetch_if_missing;
 
-#define HASH_WRITE_OBJECT 1
-#define HASH_FORMAT_CHECK 2
-#define HASH_RENORMALIZE  4
-#define HASH_SILENT 8
+enum {
+	INDEX_WRITE_OBJECT = (1 << 0),
+	INDEX_FORMAT_CHECK = (1 << 1),
+	INDEX_RENORMALIZE  = (1 << 2),
+};
+
 int index_fd(struct index_state *istate, struct object_id *oid, int fd, struct stat *st, enum object_type type, const char *path, unsigned flags);
 int index_path(struct index_state *istate, struct object_id *oid, const char *path, struct stat *st, unsigned flags);
 
@@ -84,6 +86,21 @@ enum unpack_loose_header_result unpack_loose_header(git_zstream *stream,
 struct object_info;
 int parse_loose_header(const char *hdr, struct object_info *oi);
 
+enum {
+	/*
+	 * By default, `write_object_file_literally()` does not actually write
+	 * anything into the object store, but only computes the object ID.
+	 * This flag changes that so that the object will be written as a loose
+	 * object and persisted.
+	 */
+	WRITE_OBJECT_FILE_PERSIST = (1 << 0),
+
+	/*
+	 * Do not print an error in case something gose wrong.
+	 */
+	WRITE_OBJECT_FILE_SILENT = (1 << 1),
+};
+
 int write_object_file_flags(const void *buf, unsigned long len,
 			    enum object_type type, struct object_id *oid,
 			    struct object_id *comapt_oid_in, unsigned flags);
diff --git a/read-cache.c b/read-cache.c
index 2f9e21c897..23028f43a1 100644
--- a/read-cache.c
+++ b/read-cache.c
@@ -706,11 +706,11 @@ int add_to_index(struct index_state *istate, const char *path, struct stat *st,
 	int intent_only = flags & ADD_CACHE_INTENT;
 	int add_option = (ADD_CACHE_OK_TO_ADD|ADD_CACHE_OK_TO_REPLACE|
 			  (intent_only ? ADD_CACHE_NEW_ONLY : 0));
-	unsigned hash_flags = pretend ? 0 : HASH_WRITE_OBJECT;
+	unsigned hash_flags = pretend ? 0 : INDEX_WRITE_OBJECT;
 	struct object_id oid;
 
 	if (flags & ADD_CACHE_RENORMALIZE)
-		hash_flags |= HASH_RENORMALIZE;
+		hash_flags |= INDEX_RENORMALIZE;
 
 	if (!S_ISREG(st_mode) && !S_ISLNK(st_mode) && !S_ISDIR(st_mode))
 		return error(_("%s: can only add regular files, symbolic links or git-directories"), path);