static void remove_duplicate_parents(struct commit *commit)
 {
-       struct commit_list *p;
-       struct commit_list **pp = &commit->parents;
+       struct commit_list **pp, *p;
 
        /* Examine existing parents while marking ones we have seen... */
-       for (p = commit->parents; p; p = p->next) {
+       pp = &commit->parents;
+       while ((p = *pp) != NULL) {
                struct commit *parent = p->item;
-               if (parent->object.flags & TMP_MARK)
+               if (parent->object.flags & TMP_MARK) {
+                       *pp = p->next;
                        continue;
+               }
                parent->object.flags |= TMP_MARK;
-               *pp = p;
                pp = &p->next;
        }
        /* ... and clear the temporary mark */