diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index c7565f6acb..e917833391 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -1168,6 +1168,7 @@ extern struct packed_git {
 	int pack_fd;
 	unsigned pack_local:1,
 		 pack_keep:1,
+		 freshened:1,
 		 do_not_close:1;
 	unsigned char sha1[20];
 	/* something like ".git/objects/pack/xxxxx.pack" */
diff --git a/sha1_file.c b/sha1_file.c
index cd6c102ccf..bf1bdbcdf5 100644
--- a/sha1_file.c
+++ b/sha1_file.c
@@ -2999,7 +2999,14 @@ static int freshen_loose_object(const unsigned char *sha1)
 static int freshen_packed_object(const unsigned char *sha1)
 {
 	struct pack_entry e;
-	return find_pack_entry(sha1, &e) && freshen_file(e.p->pack_name);
+	if (!find_pack_entry(sha1, &e))
+		return 0;
+	if (e.p->freshened)
+		return 1;
+	if (!freshen_file(e.p->pack_name))
+		return 0;
+	e.p->freshened = 1;
+	return 1;
 }
 
 int write_sha1_file(const void *buf, unsigned long len, const char *type, unsigned char *returnsha1)