diff --git a/builtin/check-ignore.c b/builtin/check-ignore.c
index 43f361797a..4f0b09e2db 100644
--- a/builtin/check-ignore.c
+++ b/builtin/check-ignore.c
@@ -117,13 +117,14 @@ static int check_ignore_stdin_paths(struct dir_struct *dir, const char *prefix)
 {
 	struct strbuf buf, nbuf;
 	char *pathspec[2] = { NULL, NULL };
-	int line_termination = nul_term_line ? 0 : '\n';
+	strbuf_getline_fn getline_fn;
 	int num_ignored = 0;
 
+	getline_fn = nul_term_line ? strbuf_getline_nul : strbuf_getline_lf;
 	strbuf_init(&buf, 0);
 	strbuf_init(&nbuf, 0);
-	while (strbuf_getline(&buf, stdin, line_termination) != EOF) {
-		if (line_termination && buf.buf[0] == '"') {
+	while (getline_fn(&buf, stdin) != EOF) {
+		if (!nul_term_line && buf.buf[0] == '"') {
 			strbuf_reset(&nbuf);
 			if (unquote_c_style(&nbuf, buf.buf, NULL))
 				die("line is badly quoted");