diff --git a/builtin/revert.c b/builtin/revert.c
index ba5a88cbfd..4ca5b51544 100644
--- a/builtin/revert.c
+++ b/builtin/revert.c
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ static void verify_opt_compatible(const char *me, const char *base_opt, ...)
 		die(_("%s: %s cannot be used with %s"), me, this_opt, base_opt);
 }
 
-static void parse_args(int argc, const char **argv, struct replay_opts *opts)
+static int run_sequencer(int argc, const char **argv, struct replay_opts *opts)
 {
 	const char * const * usage_str = revert_or_cherry_pick_usage(opts);
 	const char *me = action_name(opts);
@@ -115,25 +115,15 @@ static void parse_args(int argc, const char **argv, struct replay_opts *opts)
 	if (opts->keep_redundant_commits)
 		opts->allow_empty = 1;
 
-	/* Set the subcommand */
-	if (cmd == 'q')
-		opts->subcommand = REPLAY_REMOVE_STATE;
-	else if (cmd == 'c')
-		opts->subcommand = REPLAY_CONTINUE;
-	else if (cmd == 'a')
-		opts->subcommand = REPLAY_ROLLBACK;
-	else
-		opts->subcommand = REPLAY_NONE;
-
 	/* Check for incompatible command line arguments */
-	if (opts->subcommand != REPLAY_NONE) {
+	if (cmd) {
 		char *this_operation;
-		if (opts->subcommand == REPLAY_REMOVE_STATE)
+		if (cmd == 'q')
 			this_operation = "--quit";
-		else if (opts->subcommand == REPLAY_CONTINUE)
+		else if (cmd == 'c')
 			this_operation = "--continue";
 		else {
-			assert(opts->subcommand == REPLAY_ROLLBACK);
+			assert(cmd == 'a');
 			this_operation = "--abort";
 		}
 
@@ -156,7 +146,7 @@ static void parse_args(int argc, const char **argv, struct replay_opts *opts)
 				"--edit", opts->edit,
 				NULL);
 
-	if (opts->subcommand != REPLAY_NONE) {
+	if (cmd) {
 		opts->revs = NULL;
 	} else {
 		struct setup_revision_opt s_r_opt;
@@ -178,6 +168,14 @@ static void parse_args(int argc, const char **argv, struct replay_opts *opts)
 	/* These option values will be free()d */
 	opts->gpg_sign = xstrdup_or_null(opts->gpg_sign);
 	opts->strategy = xstrdup_or_null(opts->strategy);
+
+	if (cmd == 'q')
+		return sequencer_remove_state(opts);
+	if (cmd == 'c')
+		return sequencer_continue(opts);
+	if (cmd == 'a')
+		return sequencer_rollback(opts);
+	return sequencer_pick_revisions(opts);
 }
 
 int cmd_revert(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
@@ -189,8 +187,7 @@ int cmd_revert(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		opts.edit = 1;
 	opts.action = REPLAY_REVERT;
 	git_config(git_default_config, NULL);
-	parse_args(argc, argv, &opts);
-	res = sequencer_pick_revisions(&opts);
+	res = run_sequencer(argc, argv, &opts);
 	if (res < 0)
 		die(_("revert failed"));
 	return res;
@@ -203,8 +200,7 @@ int cmd_cherry_pick(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 	opts.action = REPLAY_PICK;
 	git_config(git_default_config, NULL);
-	parse_args(argc, argv, &opts);
-	res = sequencer_pick_revisions(&opts);
+	res = run_sequencer(argc, argv, &opts);
 	if (res < 0)
 		die(_("cherry-pick failed"));
 	return res;
diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index 120a8ee351..9f22c5ec41 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ static int has_conforming_footer(struct strbuf *sb, struct strbuf *sob,
 	return 1;
 }
 
-static void remove_sequencer_state(const struct replay_opts *opts)
+int sequencer_remove_state(struct replay_opts *opts)
 {
 	struct strbuf dir = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int i;
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@ static void remove_sequencer_state(const struct replay_opts *opts)
 	strbuf_addf(&dir, "%s", get_dir(opts));
 	remove_dir_recursively(&dir, 0);
 	strbuf_release(&dir);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static const char *action_name(const struct replay_opts *opts)
@@ -975,7 +977,7 @@ static int rollback_single_pick(void)
 	return reset_for_rollback(head_sha1);
 }
 
-static int sequencer_rollback(struct replay_opts *opts)
+int sequencer_rollback(struct replay_opts *opts)
 {
 	FILE *f;
 	unsigned char sha1[20];
@@ -1010,9 +1012,8 @@ static int sequencer_rollback(struct replay_opts *opts)
 	}
 	if (reset_for_rollback(sha1))
 		goto fail;
-	remove_sequencer_state(opts);
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
-	return 0;
+	return sequencer_remove_state(opts);
 fail:
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
 	return -1;
@@ -1097,8 +1098,7 @@ static int pick_commits(struct todo_list *todo_list, struct replay_opts *opts)
 	 * Sequence of picks finished successfully; cleanup by
 	 * removing the .git/sequencer directory
 	 */
-	remove_sequencer_state(opts);
-	return 0;
+	return sequencer_remove_state(opts);
 }
 
 static int continue_single_pick(void)
@@ -1111,11 +1111,14 @@ static int continue_single_pick(void)
 	return run_command_v_opt(argv, RUN_GIT_CMD);
 }
 
-static int sequencer_continue(struct replay_opts *opts)
+int sequencer_continue(struct replay_opts *opts)
 {
 	struct todo_list todo_list = TODO_LIST_INIT;
 	int res;
 
+	if (read_and_refresh_cache(opts))
+		return -1;
+
 	if (!file_exists(get_todo_path(opts)))
 		return continue_single_pick();
 	if (read_populate_opts(opts))
@@ -1154,26 +1157,10 @@ int sequencer_pick_revisions(struct replay_opts *opts)
 	unsigned char sha1[20];
 	int i, res;
 
-	if (opts->subcommand == REPLAY_NONE)
-		assert(opts->revs);
-
+	assert(opts->revs);
 	if (read_and_refresh_cache(opts))
 		return -1;
 
-	/*
-	 * Decide what to do depending on the arguments; a fresh
-	 * cherry-pick should be handled differently from an existing
-	 * one that is being continued
-	 */
-	if (opts->subcommand == REPLAY_REMOVE_STATE) {
-		remove_sequencer_state(opts);
-		return 0;
-	}
-	if (opts->subcommand == REPLAY_ROLLBACK)
-		return sequencer_rollback(opts);
-	if (opts->subcommand == REPLAY_CONTINUE)
-		return sequencer_continue(opts);
-
 	for (i = 0; i < opts->revs->pending.nr; i++) {
 		unsigned char sha1[20];
 		const char *name = opts->revs->pending.objects[i].name;
diff --git a/sequencer.h b/sequencer.h
index 8453669765..7a513c576b 100644
--- a/sequencer.h
+++ b/sequencer.h
@@ -10,16 +10,8 @@ enum replay_action {
 	REPLAY_PICK
 };
 
-enum replay_subcommand {
-	REPLAY_NONE,
-	REPLAY_REMOVE_STATE,
-	REPLAY_CONTINUE,
-	REPLAY_ROLLBACK
-};
-
 struct replay_opts {
 	enum replay_action action;
-	enum replay_subcommand subcommand;
 
 	/* Boolean options */
 	int edit;
@@ -44,9 +36,12 @@ struct replay_opts {
 	/* Only used by REPLAY_NONE */
 	struct rev_info *revs;
 };
-#define REPLAY_OPTS_INIT { -1, -1 }
+#define REPLAY_OPTS_INIT { -1 }
 
 int sequencer_pick_revisions(struct replay_opts *opts);
+int sequencer_continue(struct replay_opts *opts);
+int sequencer_rollback(struct replay_opts *opts);
+int sequencer_remove_state(struct replay_opts *opts);
 
 extern const char sign_off_header[];