diff --git a/builtin/fsck.c b/builtin/fsck.c
index 37aa07da78..fbf26cafcf 100644
--- a/builtin/fsck.c
+++ b/builtin/fsck.c
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ static int mark_object(struct object *obj, int type, void *data, struct fsck_opt
 		return 0;
 
 	if (!(obj->flags & HAS_OBJ)) {
-		if (parent && !has_object_file(&obj->oid)) {
+		if (parent && !has_object(the_repository, &obj->oid, 1)) {
 			printf_ln(_("broken link from %7s %s\n"
 				    "              to %7s %s"),
 				  printable_type(&parent->oid, parent->type),