static void check_write(void)
 {
+       if (!given_config_source.file && !startup_info->have_repository)
+               die("not in a git directory");
+
        if (given_config_source.use_stdin)
                die("writing to stdin is not supported");
 
                check_write();
                check_argc(argc, 2, 2);
                value = normalize_value(argv[0], argv[1]);
-               ret = git_config_set_in_file(given_config_source.file, argv[0], value);
+               ret = git_config_set_in_file_gently(given_config_source.file, argv[0], value);
                if (ret == CONFIG_NOTHING_SET)
                        error("cannot overwrite multiple values with a single value\n"
                        "       Use a regexp, --add or --replace-all to change %s.", argv[0]);
                check_write();
                check_argc(argc, 2, 3);
                value = normalize_value(argv[0], argv[1]);
-               return git_config_set_multivar_in_file(given_config_source.file,
-                                                      argv[0], value, argv[2], 0);
+               return git_config_set_multivar_in_file_gently(given_config_source.file,
+                                                             argv[0], value, argv[2], 0);
        }
        else if (actions == ACTION_ADD) {
                check_write();
                check_argc(argc, 2, 2);
                value = normalize_value(argv[0], argv[1]);
-               return git_config_set_multivar_in_file(given_config_source.file,
-                                                      argv[0], value,
-                                                      CONFIG_REGEX_NONE, 0);
+               return git_config_set_multivar_in_file_gently(given_config_source.file,
+                                                             argv[0], value,
+                                                             CONFIG_REGEX_NONE, 0);
        }
        else if (actions == ACTION_REPLACE_ALL) {
                check_write();
                check_argc(argc, 2, 3);
                value = normalize_value(argv[0], argv[1]);
-               return git_config_set_multivar_in_file(given_config_source.file,
-                                                      argv[0], value, argv[2], 1);
+               return git_config_set_multivar_in_file_gently(given_config_source.file,
+                                                             argv[0], value, argv[2], 1);
        }
        else if (actions == ACTION_GET) {
                check_argc(argc, 1, 2);
                check_write();
                check_argc(argc, 1, 2);
                if (argc == 2)
-                       return git_config_set_multivar_in_file(given_config_source.file,
-                                                              argv[0], NULL, argv[1], 0);
+                       return git_config_set_multivar_in_file_gently(given_config_source.file,
+                                                                     argv[0], NULL, argv[1], 0);
                else
-                       return git_config_set_in_file(given_config_source.file,
-                                                     argv[0], NULL);
+                       return git_config_set_in_file_gently(given_config_source.file,
+                                                            argv[0], NULL);
        }
        else if (actions == ACTION_UNSET_ALL) {
                check_write();
                check_argc(argc, 1, 2);
-               return git_config_set_multivar_in_file(given_config_source.file,
-                                                      argv[0], NULL, argv[1], 1);
+               return git_config_set_multivar_in_file_gently(given_config_source.file,
+                                                             argv[0], NULL, argv[1], 1);
        }
        else if (actions == ACTION_RENAME_SECTION) {
                int ret;