diff --git a/odb.c b/odb.c
index 4adbdf8a64..bfeca76f4e 100644
--- a/odb.c
+++ b/odb.c
@@ -997,6 +997,13 @@ int odb_write_object_ext(struct object_database *odb,
 
 	hash_object_file(odb->repo->hash_algo, buf, len, type, oid);
 
+	/*
+	 * We can skip the write in case we already have the object available.
+	 * In that case, we only freshen its mtime.
+	 */
+	if (odb_freshen_object(odb, oid))
+		return 0;
+
 	if (compat) {
 		const struct git_hash_algo *algo = odb->repo->hash_algo;
 
diff --git a/odb/source-loose.c b/odb/source-loose.c
index d4715da6d1..04af1a54a3 100644
--- a/odb/source-loose.c
+++ b/odb/source-loose.c
@@ -595,16 +595,12 @@ static int odb_source_loose_write_object(struct odb_source *source,
 
 	hdrlen = format_object_header(hdr, sizeof(hdr), type, len);
 
-	/*
-	 * Normally if we have it in the pack then we do not bother writing
-	 * it out into .git/objects/??/?{38} file.
-	 */
-	if (odb_freshen_object(source->odb, oid))
-		return 0;
 	if (write_loose_object(loose, oid, hdr, hdrlen, buf, len, 0, flags))
 		return -1;
+
 	if (compat_oid)
 		return repo_add_loose_object_map(loose, oid, compat_oid);
+
 	return 0;
 }