diff --git a/builtin/cat-file.c b/builtin/cat-file.c
index 1890d7a639..421709517c 100644
--- a/builtin/cat-file.c
+++ b/builtin/cat-file.c
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ static int cat_one_file(int opt, const char *exp_type, const char *obj_name,
 	if (unknown_type)
 		flags |= LOOKUP_UNKNOWN_OBJECT;
 
-	if (get_sha1_with_context(obj_name, 0, oid.hash, &obj_context))
+	if (get_sha1_with_context(obj_name, GET_SHA1_RECORD_PATH,
+				  oid.hash, &obj_context))
 		die("Not a valid object name %s", obj_name);
 
 	if (!path)
@@ -165,6 +166,7 @@ static int cat_one_file(int opt, const char *exp_type, const char *obj_name,
 		die("git cat-file %s: bad file", obj_name);
 
 	write_or_die(1, buf, size);
+	free(obj_context.path);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/builtin/grep.c b/builtin/grep.c
index 3ffb5b4e81..254c1c7849 100644
--- a/builtin/grep.c
+++ b/builtin/grep.c
@@ -1190,7 +1190,8 @@ int cmd_grep(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			break;
 		}
 
-		if (get_sha1_with_context(arg, 0, oid.hash, &oc)) {
+		if (get_sha1_with_context(arg, GET_SHA1_RECORD_PATH,
+					  oid.hash, &oc)) {
 			if (seen_dashdash)
 				die(_("unable to resolve revision: %s"), arg);
 			break;
@@ -1200,6 +1201,7 @@ int cmd_grep(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		if (!seen_dashdash)
 			verify_non_filename(prefix, arg);
 		add_object_array_with_path(object, arg, &list, oc.mode, oc.path);
+		free(oc.path);
 	}
 
 	/*
diff --git a/builtin/log.c b/builtin/log.c
index b3b10cc1ed..1db016bcd9 100644
--- a/builtin/log.c
+++ b/builtin/log.c
@@ -483,16 +483,20 @@ static int show_blob_object(const struct object_id *oid, struct rev_info *rev, c
 	    !DIFF_OPT_TST(&rev->diffopt, ALLOW_TEXTCONV))
 		return stream_blob_to_fd(1, oid, NULL, 0);
 
-	if (get_sha1_with_context(obj_name, 0, oidc.hash, &obj_context))
+	if (get_sha1_with_context(obj_name, GET_SHA1_RECORD_PATH,
+				  oidc.hash, &obj_context))
 		die(_("Not a valid object name %s"), obj_name);
-	if (!obj_context.path[0] ||
-	    !textconv_object(obj_context.path, obj_context.mode, &oidc, 1, &buf, &size))
+	if (!obj_context.path ||
+	    !textconv_object(obj_context.path, obj_context.mode, &oidc, 1, &buf, &size)) {
+		free(obj_context.path);
 		return stream_blob_to_fd(1, oid, NULL, 0);
+	}
 
 	if (!buf)
 		die(_("git show %s: bad file"), obj_name);
 
 	write_or_die(1, buf, size);
+	free(obj_context.path);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 6cae30f64c..52b91f5b64 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -1333,13 +1333,18 @@ static inline int hex2chr(const char *s)
 
 struct object_context {
 	unsigned char tree[20];
-	char path[PATH_MAX];
 	unsigned mode;
 	/*
 	 * symlink_path is only used by get_tree_entry_follow_symlinks,
 	 * and only for symlinks that point outside the repository.
 	 */
 	struct strbuf symlink_path;
+	/*
+	 * If GET_SHA1_RECORD_PATH is set, this will record path (if any)
+	 * found when resolving the name. The caller is responsible for
+	 * releasing the memory.
+	 */
+	char *path;
 };
 
 #define GET_SHA1_QUIETLY           01
@@ -1349,6 +1354,7 @@ struct object_context {
 #define GET_SHA1_TREEISH          020
 #define GET_SHA1_BLOB             040
 #define GET_SHA1_FOLLOW_SYMLINKS 0100
+#define GET_SHA1_RECORD_PATH     0200
 #define GET_SHA1_ONLY_TO_DIE    04000
 
 #define GET_SHA1_DISAMBIGUATORS \
diff --git a/sha1_name.c b/sha1_name.c
index e7b0393bfc..5e2ec37b65 100644
--- a/sha1_name.c
+++ b/sha1_name.c
@@ -1550,7 +1550,8 @@ static int get_sha1_with_context_1(const char *name,
 			namelen = strlen(cp);
 		}
 
-		strlcpy(oc->path, cp, sizeof(oc->path));
+		if (flags & GET_SHA1_RECORD_PATH)
+			oc->path = xstrdup(cp);
 
 		if (!active_cache)
 			read_cache();
@@ -1613,7 +1614,8 @@ static int get_sha1_with_context_1(const char *name,
 				}
 			}
 			hashcpy(oc->tree, tree_sha1);
-			strlcpy(oc->path, filename, sizeof(oc->path));
+			if (flags & GET_SHA1_RECORD_PATH)
+				oc->path = xstrdup(filename);
 
 			free(new_filename);
 			return ret;