die("%s: not a valid SHA1", value);
}
- hashclr(oldsha1); /* all-zero hash in case oldval is the empty string */
- if (oldval && *oldval && get_sha1(oldval, oldsha1))
- die("%s: not a valid old SHA1", oldval);
+ if (oldval) {
+ if (!*oldval)
+ /*
+ * The empty string implies that the reference
+ * must not already exist:
+ */
+ hashclr(oldsha1);
+ else if (get_sha1(oldval, oldsha1))
+ die("%s: not a valid old SHA1", oldval);
+ }
if (no_deref)
flags = REF_NODEREF;