diff --git a/sha1_file.c b/sha1_file.c
index d9aa0e0a2cd..f9f8d5e91c2 100644
--- a/sha1_file.c
+++ b/sha1_file.c
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ static struct cached_object empty_tree = {
 	0
 };
 
+static struct packed_git *last_found_pack;
+
 static struct cached_object *find_cached_object(const unsigned char *sha1)
 {
 	int i;
@@ -720,6 +722,8 @@ void free_pack_by_name(const char *pack_name)
 			close_pack_index(p);
 			free(p->bad_object_sha1);
 			*pp = p->next;
+			if (last_found_pack == p)
+				last_found_pack = NULL;
 			free(p);
 			return;
 		}
@@ -2015,54 +2019,58 @@ int is_pack_valid(struct packed_git *p)
 	return !open_packed_git(p);
 }
 
+static int fill_pack_entry(const unsigned char *sha1,
+			   struct pack_entry *e,
+			   struct packed_git *p)
+{
+	off_t offset;
+
+	if (p->num_bad_objects) {
+		unsigned i;
+		for (i = 0; i < p->num_bad_objects; i++)
+			if (!hashcmp(sha1, p->bad_object_sha1 + 20 * i))
+				return 0;
+	}
+
+	offset = find_pack_entry_one(sha1, p);
+	if (!offset)
+		return 0;
+
+	/*
+	 * We are about to tell the caller where they can locate the
+	 * requested object.  We better make sure the packfile is
+	 * still here and can be accessed before supplying that
+	 * answer, as it may have been deleted since the index was
+	 * loaded!
+	 */
+	if (!is_pack_valid(p)) {
+		warning("packfile %s cannot be accessed", p->pack_name);
+		return 0;
+	}
+	e->offset = offset;
+	e->p = p;
+	hashcpy(e->sha1, sha1);
+	return 1;
+}
+
 static int find_pack_entry(const unsigned char *sha1, struct pack_entry *e)
 {
-	static struct packed_git *last_found = (void *)1;
 	struct packed_git *p;
-	off_t offset;
 
 	prepare_packed_git();
 	if (!packed_git)
 		return 0;
-	p = (last_found == (void *)1) ? packed_git : last_found;
 
-	do {
-		if (p->num_bad_objects) {
-			unsigned i;
-			for (i = 0; i < p->num_bad_objects; i++)
-				if (!hashcmp(sha1, p->bad_object_sha1 + 20 * i))
-					goto next;
-		}
+	if (last_found_pack && fill_pack_entry(sha1, e, last_found_pack))
+		return 1;
 
-		offset = find_pack_entry_one(sha1, p);
-		if (offset) {
-			/*
-			 * We are about to tell the caller where they can
-			 * locate the requested object.  We better make
-			 * sure the packfile is still here and can be
-			 * accessed before supplying that answer, as
-			 * it may have been deleted since the index
-			 * was loaded!
-			 */
-			if (!is_pack_valid(p)) {
-				warning("packfile %s cannot be accessed", p->pack_name);
-				goto next;
-			}
-			e->offset = offset;
-			e->p = p;
-			hashcpy(e->sha1, sha1);
-			last_found = p;
-			return 1;
-		}
+	for (p = packed_git; p; p = p->next) {
+		if (p == last_found_pack || !fill_pack_entry(sha1, e, p))
+			continue;
 
-		next:
-		if (p == last_found)
-			p = packed_git;
-		else
-			p = p->next;
-		if (p == last_found)
-			p = p->next;
-	} while (p);
+		last_found_pack = p;
+		return 1;
+	}
 	return 0;
 }