return 1;
        }
 
-       if (last && last->data.buf && last->depth < max_depth
+       if (last && last->data.len && last->data.buf && last->depth < max_depth
                && dat->len > the_hash_algo->rawsz) {
 
                delta_count_attempts_by_type[type]++;
        if (!force_update && !is_null_oid(&old_oid)) {
                struct commit *old_cmit, *new_cmit;
 
-               old_cmit = lookup_commit_reference_gently(&old_oid, 0);
-               new_cmit = lookup_commit_reference_gently(&b->oid, 0);
+               old_cmit = lookup_commit_reference_gently(the_repository,
+                                                         &old_oid, 0);
+               new_cmit = lookup_commit_reference_gently(the_repository,
+                                                         &b->oid, 0);
                if (!old_cmit || !new_cmit)
                        return error("Branch %s is missing commits.", b->name);