diff --git a/revision.c b/revision.c
index ce70f48ce0..49bd29225b 100644
--- a/revision.c
+++ b/revision.c
@@ -115,10 +115,15 @@ void mark_parents_uninteresting(struct commit *commit)
 }
 
 void add_pending_object(struct rev_info *revs, struct object *obj, const char *name)
+{
+	add_pending_object_with_mode(revs, obj, name, S_IFINVALID);
+}
+
+void add_pending_object_with_mode(struct rev_info *revs, struct object *obj, const char *name, unsigned mode)
 {
 	if (revs->no_walk && (obj->flags & UNINTERESTING))
 		die("object ranges do not make sense when not walking revisions");
-	add_object_array(obj, name, &revs->pending);
+	add_object_array_with_mode(obj, name, &revs->pending, mode);
 	if (revs->reflog_info && obj->type == OBJ_COMMIT)
 		add_reflog_for_walk(revs->reflog_info,
 				(struct commit *)obj, name);
@@ -723,6 +728,7 @@ int handle_revision_arg(const char *arg, struct rev_info *revs,
 			int flags,
 			int cant_be_filename)
 {
+	unsigned mode;
 	char *dotdot;
 	struct object *object;
 	unsigned char sha1[20];
@@ -796,12 +802,12 @@ int handle_revision_arg(const char *arg, struct rev_info *revs,
 		local_flags = UNINTERESTING;
 		arg++;
 	}
-	if (get_sha1(arg, sha1))
+	if (get_sha1_with_mode(arg, sha1, &mode))
 		return -1;
 	if (!cant_be_filename)
 		verify_non_filename(revs->prefix, arg);
 	object = get_reference(revs, arg, sha1, flags ^ local_flags);
-	add_pending_object(revs, object, arg);
+	add_pending_object_with_mode(revs, object, arg, mode);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1177,10 +1183,11 @@ int setup_revisions(int argc, const char **argv, struct rev_info *revs, const ch
 	if (def && !revs->pending.nr) {
 		unsigned char sha1[20];
 		struct object *object;
-		if (get_sha1(def, sha1))
+		unsigned mode;
+		if (get_sha1_with_mode(def, sha1, &mode))
 			die("bad default revision '%s'", def);
 		object = get_reference(revs, def, sha1, 0);
-		add_pending_object(revs, object, def);
+		add_pending_object_with_mode(revs, object, def, mode);
 	}
 
 	if (revs->topo_order)
diff --git a/revision.h b/revision.h
index 8a02618428..5b41e2da20 100644
--- a/revision.h
+++ b/revision.h
@@ -131,5 +131,6 @@ extern void add_object(struct object *obj,
 		       const char *name);
 
 extern void add_pending_object(struct rev_info *revs, struct object *obj, const char *name);
+extern void add_pending_object_with_mode(struct rev_info *revs, struct object *obj, const char *name, unsigned mode);
 
 #endif