1 files changed, 11 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/attr.c b/attr.c
index ff0a3e7b61..efc061527f 100644
--- a/attr.c
+++ b/attr.c
@@ -1173,6 +1173,7 @@ static void collect_some_attrs(struct index_state *istate,
 }
 
 static const char *default_attr_source_tree_object_name;
+static int ignore_bad_attr_tree;
 
 void set_git_attr_source(const char *tree_object_name)
 {
@@ -1184,10 +1185,19 @@ static void compute_default_attr_source(struct object_id *attr_source)
 	if (!default_attr_source_tree_object_name)
 		default_attr_source_tree_object_name = getenv(GIT_ATTR_SOURCE_ENVIRONMENT);
 
+	if (!default_attr_source_tree_object_name &&
+	    startup_info->have_repository &&
+	    is_bare_repository()) {
+		default_attr_source_tree_object_name = "HEAD";
+		ignore_bad_attr_tree = 1;
+	}
+
 	if (!default_attr_source_tree_object_name || !is_null_oid(attr_source))
 		return;
 
-	if (repo_get_oid_treeish(the_repository, default_attr_source_tree_object_name, attr_source))
+	if (repo_get_oid_treeish(the_repository,
+				 default_attr_source_tree_object_name,
+				 attr_source) && !ignore_bad_attr_tree)
 		die(_("bad --attr-source or GIT_ATTR_SOURCE"));
 }