diff --git a/builtin/merge-file.c b/builtin/merge-file.c
index b8e9e5ba01..b6664d49be 100644
--- a/builtin/merge-file.c
+++ b/builtin/merge-file.c
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ int cmd_merge_file(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	xmparam_t xmp = {{0}};
 	int ret = 0, i = 0, to_stdout = 0;
 	int quiet = 0;
-	int nongit;
 	struct option options[] = {
 		OPT_BOOLEAN('p', "stdout", &to_stdout, "send results to standard output"),
 		OPT_SET_INT(0, "diff3", &xmp.style, "use a diff3 based merge", XDL_MERGE_DIFF3),
@@ -50,8 +49,7 @@ int cmd_merge_file(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	xmp.style = 0;
 	xmp.favor = 0;
 
-	prefix = setup_git_directory_gently(&nongit);
-	if (!nongit) {
+	if (startup_info->have_repository) {
 		/* Read the configuration file */
 		git_config(git_xmerge_config, NULL);
 		if (0 <= git_xmerge_style)
diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index 89bce65917..286a3595a8 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ static void handle_internal_command(int argc, const char **argv)
 		{ "mailsplit", cmd_mailsplit },
 		{ "merge", cmd_merge, RUN_SETUP | NEED_WORK_TREE },
 		{ "merge-base", cmd_merge_base, RUN_SETUP },
-		{ "merge-file", cmd_merge_file },
+		{ "merge-file", cmd_merge_file, RUN_SETUP_GENTLY },
 		{ "merge-index", cmd_merge_index, RUN_SETUP },
 		{ "merge-ours", cmd_merge_ours, RUN_SETUP },
 		{ "merge-recursive", cmd_merge_recursive, RUN_SETUP | NEED_WORK_TREE },