diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index b829410f6..9f09540bb 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -1771,7 +1771,7 @@ int split_cmdline(char *cmdline, const char ***argv);
 /* Takes a negative value returned by split_cmdline */
 const char *split_cmdline_strerror(int cmdline_errno);
 
-/* git.c */
+/* setup.c */
 struct startup_info {
 	int have_repository;
 	const char *prefix;
diff --git a/environment.c b/environment.c
index 6dec9d040..6cc0a7780 100644
--- a/environment.c
+++ b/environment.c
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ int grafts_replace_parents = 1;
 int core_apply_sparse_checkout;
 int merge_log_config = -1;
 int precomposed_unicode = -1; /* see probe_utf8_pathname_composition() */
-struct startup_info *startup_info;
 unsigned long pack_size_limit_cfg;
 
 #ifndef PROTECT_HFS_DEFAULT
diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index 6cc0c077f..968a8a464 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ const char git_more_info_string[] =
 	   "concept guides. See 'git help <command>' or 'git help <concept>'\n"
 	   "to read about a specific subcommand or concept.");
 
-static struct startup_info git_startup_info;
 static int use_pager = -1;
 static char *orig_cwd;
 static const char *env_names[] = {
@@ -637,8 +636,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **av)
 	const char *cmd;
 	int done_help = 0;
 
-	startup_info = &git_startup_info;
-
 	cmd = git_extract_argv0_path(argv[0]);
 	if (!cmd)
 		cmd = "git-help";
diff --git a/setup.c b/setup.c
index de1a2a7ea..fa7a30628 100644
--- a/setup.c
+++ b/setup.c
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ static int inside_work_tree = -1;
 static int work_tree_config_is_bogus;
 static struct string_list unknown_extensions = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 
+static struct startup_info the_startup_info;
+struct startup_info *startup_info = &the_startup_info;
+
 /*
  * The input parameter must contain an absolute path, and it must already be
  * normalized.
@@ -905,10 +908,9 @@ const char *setup_git_directory_gently(int *nongit_ok)
 	else
 		setenv(GIT_PREFIX_ENVIRONMENT, "", 1);
 
-	if (startup_info) {
-		startup_info->have_repository = !nongit_ok || !*nongit_ok;
-		startup_info->prefix = prefix;
-	}
+	startup_info->have_repository = !nongit_ok || !*nongit_ok;
+	startup_info->prefix = prefix;
+
 	return prefix;
 }
 
diff --git a/sha1_name.c b/sha1_name.c
index 3acf221f9..776101e8d 100644
--- a/sha1_name.c
+++ b/sha1_name.c
@@ -1353,9 +1353,6 @@ static char *resolve_relative_path(const char *rel)
 	if (!starts_with(rel, "./") && !starts_with(rel, "../"))
 		return NULL;
 
-	if (!startup_info)
-		die("BUG: startup_info struct is not initialized.");
-
 	if (!is_inside_work_tree())
 		die("relative path syntax can't be used outside working tree.");
 
diff --git a/t/t1506-rev-parse-diagnosis.sh b/t/t1506-rev-parse-diagnosis.sh
index 613d9bfe1..86c2ff255 100755
--- a/t/t1506-rev-parse-diagnosis.sh
+++ b/t/t1506-rev-parse-diagnosis.sh
@@ -166,11 +166,6 @@ test_expect_success 'relative path when cwd is outside worktree' '
 	grep "relative path syntax can.t be used outside working tree." error
 '
 
-test_expect_success 'relative path when startup_info is NULL' '
-	test_must_fail test-match-trees HEAD:./file.txt HEAD:./file.txt 2>error &&
-	grep "BUG: startup_info struct is not initialized." error
-'
-
 test_expect_success '<commit>:file correctly diagnosed after a pathname' '
 	test_must_fail git rev-parse file.txt HEAD:file.txt 1>actual 2>error &&
 	test_i18ngrep ! "exists on disk" error &&