diff --git a/builtin/blame.c b/builtin/blame.c
index 21f42b0b62b..7417edf6ef1 100644
--- a/builtin/blame.c
+++ b/builtin/blame.c
@@ -2425,8 +2425,7 @@ static struct commit *find_single_final(struct rev_info *revs,
 		struct object *obj = revs->pending.objects[i].item;
 		if (obj->flags & UNINTERESTING)
 			continue;
-		while (obj->type == OBJ_TAG)
-			obj = deref_tag(obj, NULL, 0);
+		obj = deref_tag(obj, NULL, 0);
 		if (obj->type != OBJ_COMMIT)
 			die("Non commit %s?", revs->pending.objects[i].name);
 		if (found)
@@ -2461,8 +2460,7 @@ static char *prepare_initial(struct scoreboard *sb)
 		struct object *obj = revs->pending.objects[i].item;
 		if (!(obj->flags & UNINTERESTING))
 			continue;
-		while (obj->type == OBJ_TAG)
-			obj = deref_tag(obj, NULL, 0);
+		obj = deref_tag(obj, NULL, 0);
 		if (obj->type != OBJ_COMMIT)
 			die("Non commit %s?", revs->pending.objects[i].name);
 		if (sb->final)
diff --git a/line-log.c b/line-log.c
index bbe31ed6fbb..1fbbe4f0af5 100644
--- a/line-log.c
+++ b/line-log.c
@@ -480,8 +480,7 @@ static struct commit *check_single_commit(struct rev_info *revs)
 		struct object *obj = revs->pending.objects[i].item;
 		if (obj->flags & UNINTERESTING)
 			continue;
-		while (obj->type == OBJ_TAG)
-			obj = deref_tag(obj, NULL, 0);
+		obj = deref_tag(obj, NULL, 0);
 		if (obj->type != OBJ_COMMIT)
 			die("Non commit %s?", revs->pending.objects[i].name);
 		if (commit)