diff --git a/commit-graph.c b/commit-graph.c
index 0aa1640d15..c68f5c6b3a 100644
--- a/commit-graph.c
+++ b/commit-graph.c
@@ -128,6 +128,16 @@ timestamp_t commit_graph_generation(const struct commit *c)
 	return GENERATION_NUMBER_INFINITY;
 }
 
+static timestamp_t commit_graph_generation_from_graph(const struct commit *c)
+{
+	struct commit_graph_data *data =
+		commit_graph_data_slab_peek(&commit_graph_data_slab, c);
+
+	if (!data || data->graph_pos == COMMIT_NOT_FROM_GRAPH)
+		return GENERATION_NUMBER_INFINITY;
+	return data->generation;
+}
+
 static struct commit_graph_data *commit_graph_data_at(const struct commit *c)
 {
 	unsigned int i, nth_slab;
@@ -2659,7 +2669,7 @@ static int verify_one_commit_graph(struct repository *r,
 					     oid_to_hex(&graph_parents->item->object.oid),
 					     oid_to_hex(&odb_parents->item->object.oid));
 
-			generation = commit_graph_generation(graph_parents->item);
+			generation = commit_graph_generation_from_graph(graph_parents->item);
 			if (generation > max_generation)
 				max_generation = generation;
 
@@ -2671,7 +2681,7 @@ static int verify_one_commit_graph(struct repository *r,
 			graph_report(_("commit-graph parent list for commit %s terminates early"),
 				     oid_to_hex(&cur_oid));
 
-		if (!commit_graph_generation(graph_commit)) {
+		if (!commit_graph_generation_from_graph(graph_commit)) {
 			if (generation_zero == GENERATION_NUMBER_EXISTS)
 				graph_report(_("commit-graph has generation number zero for commit %s, but non-zero elsewhere"),
 					     oid_to_hex(&cur_oid));
diff --git a/t/t5318-commit-graph.sh b/t/t5318-commit-graph.sh
index 4df76173a8..4e70820c74 100755
--- a/t/t5318-commit-graph.sh
+++ b/t/t5318-commit-graph.sh
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ test_expect_success 'detect incorrect generation number' '
 
 test_expect_success 'detect incorrect generation number' '
 	corrupt_graph_and_verify $GRAPH_BYTE_COMMIT_GENERATION "\01" \
-		"commit-graph generation for commit"
+		"but zero elsewhere"
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'detect incorrect commit date' '