data->precious_objects = git_config_bool(var, value);
                else
                        string_list_append(&data->unknown_extensions, ext);
+       } else if (strcmp(var, "core.bare") == 0) {
+               data->is_bare = git_config_bool(var, value);
+       } else if (strcmp(var, "core.worktree") == 0) {
+               if (!value)
+                       return config_error_nonbool(var);
+               data->work_tree = xstrdup(value);
        }
        return 0;
 }
 
-static int read_repository_format_1(struct repository_format *, config_fn_t,
-                                   const char *);
-
 static int check_repository_format_gently(const char *gitdir, int *nongit_ok)
 {
        struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
        struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
        struct repository_format candidate;
-       config_fn_t fn;
-
-       if (get_common_dir(&sb, gitdir))
-               fn = check_repo_format;
-       else
-               fn = check_repository_format_version;
+       int has_common;
 
+       has_common = get_common_dir(&sb, gitdir);
        strbuf_addstr(&sb, "/config");
-       read_repository_format_1(&candidate, fn, sb.buf);
+       read_repository_format(&candidate, sb.buf);
        strbuf_release(&sb);
 
        /*
        repository_format_version = candidate.version;
        repository_format_precious_objects = candidate.precious_objects;
        string_list_clear(&candidate.unknown_extensions, 0);
-       if (candidate.is_bare != -1) {
-               is_bare_repository_cfg = candidate.is_bare;
-               if (is_bare_repository_cfg == 1)
+       if (!has_common) {
+               if (candidate.is_bare != -1) {
+                       is_bare_repository_cfg = candidate.is_bare;
+                       if (is_bare_repository_cfg == 1)
+                               inside_work_tree = -1;
+               }
+               if (candidate.work_tree) {
+                       free(git_work_tree_cfg);
+                       git_work_tree_cfg = candidate.work_tree;
                        inside_work_tree = -1;
-       }
-       if (candidate.work_tree) {
-               free(git_work_tree_cfg);
-               git_work_tree_cfg = candidate.work_tree;
-               inside_work_tree = -1;
+               }
+       } else {
+               free(candidate.work_tree);
        }
 
        return 0;
 }
 
-static int read_repository_format_1(struct repository_format *format,
-                                   config_fn_t fn, const char *path)
+int read_repository_format(struct repository_format *format, const char *path)
 {
        memset(format, 0, sizeof(*format));
        format->version = -1;
        format->is_bare = -1;
        string_list_init(&format->unknown_extensions, 1);
-       git_config_from_file(fn, path, format);
+       git_config_from_file(check_repo_format, path, format);
        return format->version;
 }
 
-int read_repository_format(struct repository_format *format, const char *path)
-{
-       return read_repository_format_1(format, check_repository_format_version, path);
-}
-
 int verify_repository_format(const struct repository_format *format,
                             struct strbuf *err)
 {
        return -(i & 0666);
 }
 
-int check_repository_format_version(const char *var, const char *value, void *cb)
-{
-       struct repository_format *data = cb;
-       int ret = check_repo_format(var, value, cb);
-       if (ret)
-               return ret;
-       if (strcmp(var, "core.bare") == 0) {
-               data->is_bare = git_config_bool(var, value);
-       } else if (strcmp(var, "core.worktree") == 0) {
-               if (!value)
-                       return config_error_nonbool(var);
-               data->work_tree = xstrdup(value);
-       }
-       return 0;
-}
-
 void check_repository_format(void)
 {
        check_repository_format_gently(get_git_dir(), NULL);