diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 4c31795581..f91edb7307 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -2007,10 +2007,12 @@ struct ref_store *get_worktree_ref_store(const struct worktree *wt)
 	return refs;
 }
 
-void base_ref_store_init(struct ref_store *refs,
-			 const struct ref_storage_be *be)
+void base_ref_store_init(struct ref_store *refs, struct repository *repo,
+			 const char *path, const struct ref_storage_be *be)
 {
 	refs->be = be;
+	refs->repo = repo;
+	refs->gitdir = xstrdup(path);
 }
 
 /* backend functions */
diff --git a/refs/debug.c b/refs/debug.c
index 8a6bb157ee..2b0771ca53 100644
--- a/refs/debug.c
+++ b/refs/debug.c
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ struct ref_store *maybe_debug_wrap_ref_store(const char *gitdir, struct ref_stor
 	be_copy->name = store->be->name;
 	trace_printf_key(&trace_refs, "ref_store for %s\n", gitdir);
 	res->refs = store;
-	base_ref_store_init((struct ref_store *)res, be_copy);
+	base_ref_store_init((struct ref_store *)res, store->repo, gitdir,
+			    be_copy);
 	return (struct ref_store *)res;
 }
 
diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index f1b66130df..5c6d49a267 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -86,11 +86,8 @@ static struct ref_store *files_ref_store_create(struct repository *repo,
 	struct ref_store *ref_store = (struct ref_store *)refs;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-	ref_store->repo = repo;
-	ref_store->gitdir = xstrdup(gitdir);
-	base_ref_store_init(ref_store, &refs_be_files);
+	base_ref_store_init(ref_store, repo, gitdir, &refs_be_files);
 	refs->store_flags = flags;
-
 	get_common_dir_noenv(&sb, gitdir);
 	refs->gitcommondir = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
 	refs->packed_ref_store =
diff --git a/refs/packed-backend.c b/refs/packed-backend.c
index caa1957252..d91a2018f6 100644
--- a/refs/packed-backend.c
+++ b/refs/packed-backend.c
@@ -201,13 +201,11 @@ struct ref_store *packed_ref_store_create(struct repository *repo,
 	struct ref_store *ref_store = (struct ref_store *)refs;
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-	base_ref_store_init(ref_store, &refs_be_packed);
-	ref_store->repo = repo;
-	ref_store->gitdir = xstrdup(gitdir);
+	base_ref_store_init(ref_store, repo, gitdir, &refs_be_packed);
 	refs->store_flags = store_flags;
+
 	strbuf_addf(&sb, "%s/packed-refs", gitdir);
 	refs->path = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
-
 	chdir_notify_reparent("packed-refs", &refs->path);
 	return ref_store;
 }
diff --git a/refs/refs-internal.h b/refs/refs-internal.h
index 46a839539e..7ff6fba4f0 100644
--- a/refs/refs-internal.h
+++ b/refs/refs-internal.h
@@ -710,8 +710,8 @@ int parse_loose_ref_contents(const char *buf, struct object_id *oid,
  * Fill in the generic part of refs and add it to our collection of
  * reference stores.
  */
-void base_ref_store_init(struct ref_store *refs,
-			 const struct ref_storage_be *be);
+void base_ref_store_init(struct ref_store *refs, struct repository *repo,
+			 const char *path, const struct ref_storage_be *be);
 
 /*
  * Support GIT_TRACE_REFS by optionally wrapping the given ref_store instance.