diff --git a/builtin/branch.c b/builtin/branch.c
index 08e50bf77b..5de0691d18 100644
--- a/builtin/branch.c
+++ b/builtin/branch.c
@@ -699,7 +699,7 @@ static int edit_branch_description(const char *branch_name)
 
 	strbuf_addf(&name, "branch.%s.description", branch_name);
 	if (buf.len || exists)
-		git_config_set(name.buf, buf.len ? buf.buf : NULL);
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, name.buf, buf.len ? buf.buf : NULL);
 	strbuf_release(&name);
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
 
diff --git a/builtin/clone.c b/builtin/clone.c
index 0d7dd5e8ec..f025a8f19e 100644
--- a/builtin/clone.c
+++ b/builtin/clone.c
@@ -827,7 +827,7 @@ static void write_refspec_config(const char *src_ref_prefix,
 
 			if (option_mirror) {
 				strbuf_addf(&key, "remote.%s.mirror", remote_name);
-				git_config_set(key.buf, "true");
+				repo_config_set(the_repository, key.buf, "true");
 				strbuf_reset(&key);
 			}
 		}
@@ -1294,18 +1294,18 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc,
 			src_ref_prefix = "refs/";
 		strbuf_addstr(&branch_top, src_ref_prefix);
 
-		git_config_set("core.bare", "true");
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, "core.bare", "true");
 	} else if (!option_rev) {
 		strbuf_addf(&branch_top, "refs/remotes/%s/", remote_name);
 	}
 
 	strbuf_addf(&key, "remote.%s.url", remote_name);
-	git_config_set(key.buf, repo);
+	repo_config_set(the_repository, key.buf, repo);
 	strbuf_reset(&key);
 
 	if (!option_tags) {
 		strbuf_addf(&key, "remote.%s.tagOpt", remote_name);
-		git_config_set(key.buf, "--no-tags");
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, key.buf, "--no-tags");
 		strbuf_reset(&key);
 	}
 
diff --git a/builtin/gc.c b/builtin/gc.c
index fa62e4f262..c0fe4e7308 100644
--- a/builtin/gc.c
+++ b/builtin/gc.c
@@ -1913,11 +1913,11 @@ static int maintenance_register(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 				   options);
 
 	/* Disable foreground maintenance */
-	git_config_set("maintenance.auto", "false");
+	repo_config_set(the_repository, "maintenance.auto", "false");
 
 	/* Set maintenance strategy, if unset */
 	if (repo_config_get(the_repository, "maintenance.strategy"))
-		git_config_set("maintenance.strategy", "incremental");
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, "maintenance.strategy", "incremental");
 
 	if (!repo_config_get_string_multi(the_repository, key, &list)) {
 		for_each_string_list_item(item, list) {
diff --git a/builtin/remote.c b/builtin/remote.c
index 5c4dfc98af..827639e039 100644
--- a/builtin/remote.c
+++ b/builtin/remote.c
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ static int add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 		die(_("'%s' is not a valid remote name"), name);
 
 	strbuf_addf(&buf, "remote.%s.url", name);
-	git_config_set(buf.buf, url);
+	repo_config_set(the_repository, buf.buf, url);
 
 	if (!mirror || mirror & MIRROR_FETCH) {
 		strbuf_reset(&buf);
@@ -225,14 +225,14 @@ static int add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 	if (mirror & MIRROR_PUSH) {
 		strbuf_reset(&buf);
 		strbuf_addf(&buf, "remote.%s.mirror", name);
-		git_config_set(buf.buf, "true");
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, buf.buf, "true");
 	}
 
 	if (fetch_tags != TAGS_DEFAULT) {
 		strbuf_reset(&buf);
 		strbuf_addf(&buf, "remote.%s.tagOpt", name);
-		git_config_set(buf.buf,
-			       fetch_tags == TAGS_SET ? "--tags" : "--no-tags");
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, buf.buf,
+				fetch_tags == TAGS_SET ? "--tags" : "--no-tags");
 	}
 
 	if (fetch && fetch_remote(name)) {
@@ -802,12 +802,12 @@ static int mv(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 		if (info->remote_name && !strcmp(info->remote_name, rename.old_name)) {
 			strbuf_reset(&buf);
 			strbuf_addf(&buf, "branch.%s.remote", item->string);
-			git_config_set(buf.buf, rename.new_name);
+			repo_config_set(the_repository, buf.buf, rename.new_name);
 		}
 		if (info->push_remote_name && !strcmp(info->push_remote_name, rename.old_name)) {
 			strbuf_reset(&buf);
 			strbuf_addf(&buf, "branch.%s.pushRemote", item->string);
-			git_config_set(buf.buf, rename.new_name);
+			repo_config_set(the_repository, buf.buf, rename.new_name);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -1503,7 +1503,7 @@ static int set_head(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 		struct strbuf config_name = STRBUF_INIT;
 		strbuf_addf(&config_name,
 			"remote.%s.followremotehead", remote->name);
-		git_config_set(config_name.buf, "warn");
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, config_name.buf, "warn");
 		strbuf_release(&config_name);
 	}
 
@@ -1793,7 +1793,7 @@ static int set_url(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 			git_config_set_multivar(name_buf.buf, newurl,
 						       "^$", 0);
 		else
-			git_config_set(name_buf.buf, newurl);
+			repo_config_set(the_repository, name_buf.buf, newurl);
 		goto out;
 	}
 
diff --git a/compat/precompose_utf8.c b/compat/precompose_utf8.c
index 3985ed108e..43b3be0114 100644
--- a/compat/precompose_utf8.c
+++ b/compat/precompose_utf8.c
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ void probe_utf8_pathname_composition(void)
 		close(output_fd);
 		repo_git_path_replace(the_repository, &path, "%s", auml_nfd);
 		precomposed_unicode = access(path.buf, R_OK) ? 0 : 1;
-		git_config_set("core.precomposeunicode",
-			       precomposed_unicode ? "true" : "false");
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, "core.precomposeunicode",
+				precomposed_unicode ? "true" : "false");
 		repo_git_path_replace(the_repository, &path, "%s", auml_nfc);
 		if (unlink(path.buf))
 			die_errno(_("failed to unlink '%s'"), path.buf);
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 095a17bd42..285cab0ce2 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -2748,7 +2748,7 @@ void git_die_config(struct repository *r, const char *key, const char *err, ...)
 }
 
 /*
- * Find all the stuff for git_config_set() below.
+ * Find all the stuff for repo_config_set() below.
  */
 
 struct config_store_data {
diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index 90977441c3..43d06c279e 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -734,11 +734,6 @@ static inline int git_config_get_pathname(const char *key, char **dest)
 	return repo_config_get_pathname(the_repository, key, dest);
 }
 
-static inline void git_config_set(const char *key, const char *value)
-{
-	repo_config_set(the_repository, key, value);
-}
-
 static inline int git_config_set_in_file_gently(
 	const char *config_filename,
 	const char *key,
diff --git a/list-objects-filter-options.c b/list-objects-filter-options.c
index 948376d42d..7420bf81fe 100644
--- a/list-objects-filter-options.c
+++ b/list-objects-filter-options.c
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ void partial_clone_register(
 
 		/* Add promisor config for the remote */
 		cfg_name = xstrfmt("remote.%s.promisor", remote);
-		git_config_set(cfg_name, "true");
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, cfg_name, "true");
 		free(cfg_name);
 	}
 
@@ -360,8 +360,8 @@ void partial_clone_register(
 	 */
 	filter_name = xstrfmt("remote.%s.partialclonefilter", remote);
 	/* NEEDSWORK: 'expand' result leaking??? */
-	git_config_set(filter_name,
-		       expand_list_objects_filter_spec(filter_options));
+	repo_config_set(the_repository, filter_name,
+			expand_list_objects_filter_spec(filter_options));
 	free(filter_name);
 
 	/* Make sure the config info are reset */
diff --git a/setup.c b/setup.c
index a05c348dcd..98ddbf377f 100644
--- a/setup.c
+++ b/setup.c
@@ -815,7 +815,7 @@ int upgrade_repository_format(int target_version)
 	}
 
 	strbuf_addf(&repo_version, "%d", target_version);
-	git_config_set("core.repositoryformatversion", repo_version.buf);
+	repo_config_set(the_repository, "core.repositoryformatversion", repo_version.buf);
 
 	ret = 1;
 
@@ -2233,14 +2233,14 @@ void initialize_repository_version(int hash_algo,
 		target_version = GIT_REPO_VERSION_READ;
 
 	if (hash_algo != GIT_HASH_SHA1_LEGACY && hash_algo != GIT_HASH_UNKNOWN)
-		git_config_set("extensions.objectformat",
-			       hash_algos[hash_algo].name);
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, "extensions.objectformat",
+				hash_algos[hash_algo].name);
 	else if (reinit)
 		repo_config_set_gently(the_repository, "extensions.objectformat", NULL);
 
 	if (ref_storage_format != REF_STORAGE_FORMAT_FILES)
-		git_config_set("extensions.refstorage",
-			       ref_storage_format_to_name(ref_storage_format));
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, "extensions.refstorage",
+				ref_storage_format_to_name(ref_storage_format));
 	else if (reinit)
 		repo_config_set_gently(the_repository, "extensions.refstorage", NULL);
 
@@ -2259,7 +2259,7 @@ void initialize_repository_version(int hash_algo,
 	}
 
 	strbuf_addf(&repo_version, "%d", target_version);
-	git_config_set("core.repositoryformatversion", repo_version.buf);
+	repo_config_set(the_repository, "core.repositoryformatversion", repo_version.buf);
 
 	strbuf_release(&repo_version);
 }
@@ -2375,17 +2375,17 @@ static int create_default_files(const char *template_path,
 		if (filemode && !reinit && (st1.st_mode & S_IXUSR))
 			filemode = 0;
 	}
-	git_config_set("core.filemode", filemode ? "true" : "false");
+	repo_config_set(the_repository, "core.filemode", filemode ? "true" : "false");
 
 	if (is_bare_repository())
-		git_config_set("core.bare", "true");
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, "core.bare", "true");
 	else {
-		git_config_set("core.bare", "false");
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, "core.bare", "false");
 		/* allow template config file to override the default */
 		if (repo_settings_get_log_all_ref_updates(the_repository) == LOG_REFS_UNSET)
-			git_config_set("core.logallrefupdates", "true");
+			repo_config_set(the_repository, "core.logallrefupdates", "true");
 		if (needs_work_tree_config(original_git_dir, work_tree))
-			git_config_set("core.worktree", work_tree);
+			repo_config_set(the_repository, "core.worktree", work_tree);
 	}
 
 	if (!reinit) {
@@ -2398,12 +2398,12 @@ static int create_default_files(const char *template_path,
 		    S_ISLNK(st1.st_mode))
 			unlink(path.buf); /* good */
 		else
-			git_config_set("core.symlinks", "false");
+			repo_config_set(the_repository, "core.symlinks", "false");
 
 		/* Check if the filesystem is case-insensitive */
 		repo_git_path_replace(the_repository, &path, "CoNfIg");
 		if (!access(path.buf, F_OK))
-			git_config_set("core.ignorecase", "true");
+			repo_config_set(the_repository, "core.ignorecase", "true");
 		probe_utf8_pathname_composition();
 	}
 
@@ -2639,8 +2639,8 @@ int init_db(const char *git_dir, const char *real_git_dir,
 			xsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%d", OLD_PERM_EVERYBODY);
 		else
 			BUG("invalid value for shared_repository");
-		git_config_set("core.sharedrepository", buf);
-		git_config_set("receive.denyNonFastforwards", "true");
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, "core.sharedrepository", buf);
+		repo_config_set(the_repository, "receive.denyNonFastforwards", "true");
 	}
 
 	if (!(flags & INIT_DB_QUIET)) {