diff --git a/builtin/fast-export.c b/builtin/fast-export.c
index 0be43104dc..8f4da4cfac 100644
--- a/builtin/fast-export.c
+++ b/builtin/fast-export.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ static int show_original_ids;
 static int mark_tags;
 static struct string_list extra_refs = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 static struct string_list tag_refs = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
-static struct refspec refspecs = REFSPEC_INIT_FETCH;
+static struct refspec refspecs;
 static int anonymize;
 static struct hashmap anonymized_seeds;
 static struct revision_sources revision_sources;
@@ -1372,6 +1372,8 @@ int cmd_fast_export(int argc,
 	/* we handle encodings */
 	repo_config(the_repository, git_default_config, NULL);
 
+	refspec_init_fetch(&refspecs, the_hash_algo);
+
 	repo_init_revisions(the_repository, &revs, prefix);
 	init_revision_sources(&revision_sources);
 	revs.topo_order = 1;
diff --git a/builtin/fetch.c b/builtin/fetch.c
index 1d4a129039..6e1a224553 100644
--- a/builtin/fetch.c
+++ b/builtin/fetch.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ static struct string_list deepen_not = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
 static struct strbuf default_rla = STRBUF_INIT;
 static struct transport *gtransport;
 static struct transport *gsecondary;
-static struct refspec refmap = REFSPEC_INIT_FETCH;
+static struct refspec refmap;
 static struct string_list server_options = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 static struct string_list negotiation_restrict = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
 static struct string_list negotiation_include = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
@@ -2429,7 +2429,7 @@ static int fetch_one(struct remote *remote, int argc, const char **argv,
 		     const struct fetch_config *config,
 		     struct list_objects_filter_options *filter_options)
 {
-	struct refspec rs = REFSPEC_INIT_FETCH;
+	struct refspec rs = REFSPEC_INIT_FETCH(the_hash_algo);
 	int i;
 	int exit_code;
 	int maybe_prune_tags;
@@ -2631,6 +2631,8 @@ int cmd_fetch(int argc,
 
 	filter_options.allow_auto_filter = 1;
 
+	refspec_init_fetch(&refmap, the_hash_algo);
+
 	packet_trace_identity("fetch");
 
 	/* Record the command line for the reflog */
diff --git a/builtin/push.c b/builtin/push.c
index 1b2ad3b8df..8ccdb07c40 100644
--- a/builtin/push.c
+++ b/builtin/push.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ static enum transport_family family;
 
 static struct push_cas_option cas;
 
-static struct refspec rs = REFSPEC_INIT_PUSH;
+static struct refspec rs;
 
 static struct string_list push_options_config = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 
@@ -749,6 +749,8 @@ int cmd_push(int argc,
 		: &push_options_config);
 	set_push_cert_flags(&flags, push_cert);
 
+	refspec_init_push(&rs, the_hash_algo);
+
 	die_for_incompatible_opt4(deleterefs, "--delete",
 				  tags, "--tags",
 				  flags & TRANSPORT_PUSH_ALL, "--all/--branches",
@@ -855,7 +857,7 @@ int cmd_push(int argc,
 			}
 
 			refspec_clear(&rs);
-			rs = (struct refspec) REFSPEC_INIT_PUSH;
+			rs = (struct refspec) REFSPEC_INIT_PUSH(the_hash_algo);
 
 			if (tags)
 				refspec_append(&rs, "refs/tags/*");
diff --git a/builtin/send-pack.c b/builtin/send-pack.c
index 1412b49bc8..d6cdbae472 100644
--- a/builtin/send-pack.c
+++ b/builtin/send-pack.c
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ int cmd_send_pack(int argc,
 		  const char *prefix,
 		  struct repository *repo)
 {
-	struct refspec rs = REFSPEC_INIT_PUSH;
+	struct refspec rs;
 	const char *remote_name = NULL;
 	struct remote *remote = NULL;
 	const char *dest = NULL;
@@ -214,6 +214,9 @@ int cmd_send_pack(int argc,
 
 	repo_config(repo, send_pack_config, NULL);
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, send_pack_usage, 0);
+
+	refspec_init_push(&rs, repo->hash_algo);
+
 	if (argc > 0) {
 		dest = argv[0];
 		refspec_appendn(&rs, argv + 1, argc - 1);
diff --git a/builtin/submodule--helper.c b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
index 1cc82a134d..c396b826ba 100644
--- a/builtin/submodule--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/submodule--helper.c
@@ -3150,7 +3150,7 @@ static int push_check(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix UNUSED,
 	if (argc > 2) {
 		int i;
 		struct ref *local_refs = get_local_heads();
-		struct refspec refspec = REFSPEC_INIT_PUSH;
+		struct refspec refspec = REFSPEC_INIT_PUSH(the_hash_algo);
 
 		refspec_appendn(&refspec, argv + 2, argc - 2);
 
diff --git a/http-push.c b/http-push.c
index 3c23cbba27..969d984cb9 100644
--- a/http-push.c
+++ b/http-push.c
@@ -1716,7 +1716,7 @@ int cmd_main(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
 	struct transfer_request *request;
 	struct transfer_request *next_request;
-	struct refspec rs = REFSPEC_INIT_PUSH;
+	struct refspec rs = REFSPEC_INIT_PUSH(the_hash_algo);
 	struct remote_lock *ref_lock = NULL;
 	struct remote_lock *info_ref_lock = NULL;
 	int delete_branch = 0;
diff --git a/refspec.c b/refspec.c
index 33a6fb8e45..7cb479983b 100644
--- a/refspec.c
+++ b/refspec.c
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #define DISABLE_SIGN_COMPARE_WARNINGS
 
 #include "git-compat-util.h"
@@ -185,15 +184,15 @@ void refspec_item_clear(struct refspec_item *item)
 	item->exact_sha1 = 0;
 }
 
-void refspec_init_fetch(struct refspec *rs)
+void refspec_init_fetch(struct refspec *rs, const struct git_hash_algo *algo)
 {
-	struct refspec blank = REFSPEC_INIT_FETCH;
+	struct refspec blank = REFSPEC_INIT_FETCH(algo);
 	memcpy(rs, &blank, sizeof(*rs));
 }
 
-void refspec_init_push(struct refspec *rs)
+void refspec_init_push(struct refspec *rs, const struct git_hash_algo *algo)
 {
-	struct refspec blank = REFSPEC_INIT_PUSH;
+	struct refspec blank = REFSPEC_INIT_PUSH(algo);
 	memcpy(rs, &blank, sizeof(*rs));
 }
 
@@ -203,9 +202,9 @@ void refspec_append(struct refspec *rs, const char *refspec)
 	int ret;
 
 	if (rs->fetch)
-		ret = refspec_item_init_fetch(&item, refspec, the_hash_algo);
+		ret = refspec_item_init_fetch(&item, refspec, rs->hash_algo);
 	else
-		ret = refspec_item_init_push(&item, refspec, the_hash_algo);
+		ret = refspec_item_init_push(&item, refspec, rs->hash_algo);
 	if (!ret)
 		die(_("invalid refspec '%s'"), refspec);
 
diff --git a/refspec.h b/refspec.h
index e482b720a8..fadef67933 100644
--- a/refspec.h
+++ b/refspec.h
@@ -49,14 +49,21 @@ struct refspec {
 	int alloc;
 	int nr;
 
+	const struct git_hash_algo *hash_algo;
 	unsigned fetch : 1;
 };
 
-#define REFSPEC_INIT_FETCH { .fetch = 1 }
-#define REFSPEC_INIT_PUSH { .fetch = 0 }
+#define REFSPEC_INIT_FETCH(algo) { \
+	.fetch = 1, \
+	.hash_algo = (algo), \
+}
+#define REFSPEC_INIT_PUSH(algo) { \
+	.fetch = 0, \
+	.hash_algo = (algo), \
+}
 
-void refspec_init_fetch(struct refspec *rs);
-void refspec_init_push(struct refspec *rs);
+void refspec_init_fetch(struct refspec *rs, const struct git_hash_algo *hash_algo);
+void refspec_init_push(struct refspec *rs, const struct git_hash_algo *hash_algo);
 void refspec_clear(struct refspec *rs);
 
 void refspec_append(struct refspec *rs, const char *refspec);
diff --git a/remote.c b/remote.c
index b4dff1e5f9..d151b1f9d9 100644
--- a/remote.c
+++ b/remote.c
@@ -150,8 +150,8 @@ static struct remote *make_remote(struct remote_state *remote_state,
 	ret->prune = -1;  /* unspecified */
 	ret->prune_tags = -1;  /* unspecified */
 	ret->name = xstrndup(name, len);
-	refspec_init_push(&ret->push);
-	refspec_init_fetch(&ret->fetch);
+	refspec_init_push(&ret->push, the_hash_algo);
+	refspec_init_fetch(&ret->fetch, the_hash_algo);
 	string_list_init_dup(&ret->server_options);
 	string_list_init_dup(&ret->negotiation_restrict);
 	string_list_init_dup(&ret->negotiation_include);
diff --git a/transport-helper.c b/transport-helper.c
index 80f90eb7ba..8a25707b03 100644
--- a/transport-helper.c
+++ b/transport-helper.c
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ static struct child_process *get_helper(struct transport *transport)
 
 	data->helper = helper;
 	data->no_disconnect_req = 0;
-	refspec_init_fetch(&data->rs);
+	refspec_init_fetch(&data->rs, the_hash_algo);
 
 	/*
 	 * Open the output as FILE* so strbuf_getline_*() family of