diff --git a/diff.c b/diff.c
index 35b903a9a0..9091e041b7 100644
--- a/diff.c
+++ b/diff.c
@@ -7176,7 +7176,7 @@ void diffcore_std(struct diff_options *options)
 	 * If no prefetching occurs, diffcore_rename() will prefetch if it
 	 * decides that it needs inexact rename detection.
 	 */
-	if (options->repo == the_repository && repo_has_promisor_remote(the_repository) &&
+	if (repo_has_promisor_remote(options->repo) &&
 	    (options->output_format & output_formats_to_prefetch ||
 	     options->pickaxe_opts & DIFF_PICKAXE_KINDS_MASK))
 		diff_queued_diff_prefetch(options->repo);
diff --git a/diffcore-break.c b/diffcore-break.c
index c4c2173f30..91ae5e8dbb 100644
--- a/diffcore-break.c
+++ b/diffcore-break.c
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ static int should_break(struct repository *r,
 	    oideq(&src->oid, &dst->oid))
 		return 0; /* they are the same */
 
-	if (r == the_repository && repo_has_promisor_remote(the_repository)) {
+	if (repo_has_promisor_remote(r)) {
 		options.missing_object_cb = diff_queued_diff_prefetch;
 		options.missing_object_data = r;
 	}
diff --git a/diffcore-rename.c b/diffcore-rename.c
index d9476db35a..c797d8ed2f 100644
--- a/diffcore-rename.c
+++ b/diffcore-rename.c
@@ -987,7 +987,7 @@ static int find_basename_matches(struct diff_options *options,
 			strintmap_set(&dests, base, i);
 	}
 
-	if (options->repo == the_repository && repo_has_promisor_remote(the_repository)) {
+	if (repo_has_promisor_remote(options->repo)) {
 		dpf_options.missing_object_cb = basename_prefetch;
 		dpf_options.missing_object_data = &prefetch_options;
 	}
@@ -1574,7 +1574,7 @@ void diffcore_rename_extended(struct diff_options *options,
 
 	/* Finish setting up dpf_options */
 	prefetch_options.skip_unmodified = skip_unmodified;
-	if (options->repo == the_repository && repo_has_promisor_remote(the_repository)) {
+	if (repo_has_promisor_remote(options->repo)) {
 		dpf_options.missing_object_cb = inexact_prefetch;
 		dpf_options.missing_object_data = &prefetch_options;
 	}
diff --git a/merge-ort.c b/merge-ort.c
index 0a59d1e596..27a58a735d 100644
--- a/merge-ort.c
+++ b/merge-ort.c
@@ -4438,7 +4438,7 @@ static void prefetch_for_content_merges(struct merge_options *opt,
 	struct string_list_item *e;
 	struct oid_array to_fetch = OID_ARRAY_INIT;
 
-	if (opt->repo != the_repository || !repo_has_promisor_remote(the_repository))
+	if (!repo_has_promisor_remote(opt->repo))
 		return;
 
 	for (e = &plist->items[plist->nr-1]; e >= plist->items; --e) {