diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index cb7fb7c004..c238688f6c 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include "hash.h"
 #include "path.h"
 #include "sha1-array.h"
+#include "repository.h"
 
 #ifndef platform_SHA_CTX
 /*
@@ -77,6 +78,8 @@ struct object_id {
 	unsigned char hash[GIT_MAX_RAWSZ];
 };
 
+#define the_hash_algo the_repository->hash_algo
+
 #if defined(DT_UNKNOWN) && !defined(NO_D_TYPE_IN_DIRENT)
 #define DTYPE(de)	((de)->d_type)
 #else
@@ -888,6 +891,7 @@ struct repository_format {
 	int version;
 	int precious_objects;
 	int is_bare;
+	int hash_algo;
 	char *work_tree;
 	struct string_list unknown_extensions;
 };
diff --git a/repository.c b/repository.c
index bb2fae5446..c6ceb9f9e4 100644
--- a/repository.c
+++ b/repository.c
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ void repo_set_gitdir(struct repository *repo, const char *path)
 	free(old_gitdir);
 }
 
+void repo_set_hash_algo(struct repository *repo, int hash_algo)
+{
+	repo->hash_algo = &hash_algos[hash_algo];
+}
+
 /*
  * Attempt to resolve and set the provided 'gitdir' for repository 'repo'.
  * Return 0 upon success and a non-zero value upon failure.
@@ -136,6 +141,8 @@ int repo_init(struct repository *repo, const char *gitdir, const char *worktree)
 	if (read_and_verify_repository_format(&format, repo->commondir))
 		goto error;
 
+	repo_set_hash_algo(repo, format.hash_algo);
+
 	if (worktree)
 		repo_set_worktree(repo, worktree);
 
diff --git a/repository.h b/repository.h
index 7f5e24a0a2..0329e40c7f 100644
--- a/repository.h
+++ b/repository.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 struct config_set;
 struct index_state;
 struct submodule_cache;
+struct git_hash_algo;
 
 struct repository {
 	/* Environment */
@@ -67,6 +68,9 @@ struct repository {
 	 */
 	struct index_state *index;
 
+	/* Repository's current hash algorithm, as serialized on disk. */
+	const struct git_hash_algo *hash_algo;
+
 	/* Configurations */
 	/*
 	 * Bit used during initialization to indicate if repository state (like
@@ -86,6 +90,7 @@ extern struct repository *the_repository;
 
 extern void repo_set_gitdir(struct repository *repo, const char *path);
 extern void repo_set_worktree(struct repository *repo, const char *path);
+extern void repo_set_hash_algo(struct repository *repo, int algo);
 extern int repo_init(struct repository *repo, const char *gitdir, const char *worktree);
 extern int repo_submodule_init(struct repository *submodule,
 			       struct repository *superproject,
diff --git a/setup.c b/setup.c
index cf1b22cd30..50c6b2ab11 100644
--- a/setup.c
+++ b/setup.c
@@ -488,6 +488,7 @@ int read_repository_format(struct repository_format *format, const char *path)
 	memset(format, 0, sizeof(*format));
 	format->version = -1;
 	format->is_bare = -1;
+	format->hash_algo = GIT_HASH_SHA1;
 	string_list_init(&format->unknown_extensions, 1);
 	git_config_from_file(check_repo_format, path, format);
 	return format->version;
@@ -1113,6 +1114,8 @@ const char *setup_git_directory_gently(int *nongit_ok)
 			repo_set_gitdir(the_repository, gitdir);
 			setup_git_env();
 		}
+		if (startup_info->have_repository)
+			repo_set_hash_algo(the_repository, repo_fmt.hash_algo);
 	}
 
 	strbuf_release(&dir);