diff --git a/log-tree.c b/log-tree.c
index 7b823786c2..c3c8e7e1df 100644
--- a/log-tree.c
+++ b/log-tree.c
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ static int add_ref_decoration(const char *refname, const struct object_id *oid,
 			      int flags, void *cb_data)
 {
 	struct object *obj;
+	enum object_type objtype;
 	enum decoration_type type = DECORATION_NONE;
 	struct decoration_filter *filter = (struct decoration_filter *)cb_data;
 
@@ -155,9 +156,10 @@ static int add_ref_decoration(const char *refname, const struct object_id *oid,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	obj = parse_object(the_repository, oid);
-	if (!obj)
+	objtype = oid_object_info(the_repository, oid, NULL);
+	if (objtype < 0)
 		return 0;
+	obj = lookup_object_by_type(the_repository, oid, objtype);
 
 	if (starts_with(refname, "refs/heads/"))
 		type = DECORATION_REF_LOCAL;