whence = FROM_MERGE;
        else if (file_exists(git_path("CHERRY_PICK_HEAD"))) {
                whence = FROM_CHERRY_PICK;
-               if (file_exists(git_path("sequencer")))
+               if (file_exists(git_path(SEQ_DIR)))
                        sequencer_in_use = 1;
        }
        else
        refresh_index(&the_index, REFRESH_QUIET|REFRESH_UNMERGED, &s.pathspec, NULL, NULL);
 
        fd = hold_locked_index(&index_lock, 0);
-       if (0 <= fd)
-               update_index_if_able(&the_index, &index_lock);
 
        s.is_initial = get_sha1(s.reference, sha1) ? 1 : 0;
        s.ignore_submodule_arg = ignore_submodule_arg;
        wt_status_collect(&s);
 
+       if (0 <= fd)
+               update_index_if_able(&the_index, &index_lock);
+
        if (s.relative_paths)
                s.prefix = prefix;