diff --git a/read-cache-ll.h b/read-cache-ll.h
index 2c8b4b21b1..71b87615eb 100644
--- a/read-cache-ll.h
+++ b/read-cache-ll.h
@@ -309,6 +309,7 @@ int write_locked_index(struct index_state *, struct lock_file *lock, unsigned fl
 void discard_index(struct index_state *);
 void move_index_extensions(struct index_state *dst, struct index_state *src);
 int unmerged_index(const struct index_state *);
+int index_state_unmerged_to_stage0(struct index_state *istate);
 
 /**
  * Returns 1 if istate differs from tree, 0 otherwise.  If tree is NULL,
diff --git a/read-cache.c b/read-cache.c
index 21829102ae..799a5bc719 100644
--- a/read-cache.c
+++ b/read-cache.c
@@ -3403,13 +3403,15 @@ out:
  */
 int repo_read_index_unmerged(struct repository *repo)
 {
-	struct index_state *istate;
-	int i;
+	repo_read_index(repo);
+	return index_state_unmerged_to_stage0(repo->index);
+}
+
+int index_state_unmerged_to_stage0(struct index_state *istate)
+{
 	int unmerged = 0;
 
-	repo_read_index(repo);
-	istate = repo->index;
-	for (i = 0; i < istate->cache_nr; i++) {
+	for (unsigned int i = 0; i < istate->cache_nr; i++) {
 		struct cache_entry *ce = istate->cache[i];
 		struct cache_entry *new_ce;
 		int len;