diff --git a/builtin-rev-parse.c b/builtin-rev-parse.c
index 054519bf28..d1038a0e66 100644
--- a/builtin-rev-parse.c
+++ b/builtin-rev-parse.c
@@ -337,11 +337,11 @@ int cmd_rev_parse(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	int i, as_is = 0, verify = 0;
 	unsigned char sha1[20];
 
-	git_config(git_default_config);
-
 	if (argc > 1 && !strcmp("--parseopt", argv[1]))
 		return cmd_parseopt(argc - 1, argv + 1, prefix);
 
+	prefix = setup_git_directory();
+	git_config(git_default_config);
 	for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
 		const char *arg = argv[i];
 
diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index 4e10581101..b843da4d42 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ static void handle_internal_command(int argc, const char **argv)
 		{ "rerere", cmd_rerere, RUN_SETUP },
 		{ "reset", cmd_reset, RUN_SETUP },
 		{ "rev-list", cmd_rev_list, RUN_SETUP },
-		{ "rev-parse", cmd_rev_parse, RUN_SETUP },
+		{ "rev-parse", cmd_rev_parse },
 		{ "revert", cmd_revert, RUN_SETUP | NEED_WORK_TREE },
 		{ "rm", cmd_rm, RUN_SETUP | NEED_WORK_TREE },
 		{ "runstatus", cmd_runstatus, RUN_SETUP | NEED_WORK_TREE },