diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index 44b763d7cd..57a95123df 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -991,7 +991,7 @@ static int prepare_to_commit(const char *index_file, const char *prefix,
 		struct object_id oid;
 		const char *parent = "HEAD";
 
-		if (!active_nr) {
+		if (!the_index.cache_nr) {
 			discard_cache();
 			if (read_cache() < 0)
 				die(_("Cannot read index"));
diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 4bf14e0bd9..b0bbecf35e 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -454,8 +454,6 @@ extern struct index_state the_index;
 
 #ifndef USE_THE_INDEX_VARIABLE
 #ifdef USE_THE_INDEX_COMPATIBILITY_MACROS
-#define active_nr (the_index.cache_nr)
-
 #define read_cache() repo_read_index(the_repository)
 #define discard_cache() discard_index(&the_index)
 #define cache_name_pos(name, namelen) index_name_pos(&the_index,(name),(namelen))
diff --git a/contrib/coccinelle/index-compatibility.cocci b/contrib/coccinelle/index-compatibility.cocci
index 8520f03128..028ff53354 100644
--- a/contrib/coccinelle/index-compatibility.cocci
+++ b/contrib/coccinelle/index-compatibility.cocci
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // the_index.* variables
 @@
 identifier AC = active_cache;
+identifier AN = active_nr;
 identifier ACC = active_cache_changed;
 identifier ACT = active_cache_tree;
 @@
@@ -8,6 +9,9 @@ identifier ACT = active_cache_tree;
 - AC
 + the_index.cache
 |
+- AN
++ the_index.cache_nr
+|
 - ACC
 + the_index.cache_changed
 |
@@ -15,15 +19,6 @@ identifier ACT = active_cache_tree;
 + the_index.cache_tree
 )
 
-@@
-identifier AN = active_nr;
-identifier f != prepare_to_commit;
-@@
-  f(...) {<...
-- AN
-+ the_index.cache_nr
-  ...>}
-
 // "the_repository" simple cases
 @@
 @@