diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 604236a28..52d2c1e58 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -1140,8 +1140,6 @@ extern const char *get_commit_output_encoding(void);
 
 extern int git_config_parse_parameter(const char *, config_fn_t fn, void *data);
 
-extern const char *config_exclusive_filename;
-
 #define MAX_GITNAME (1000)
 extern char git_default_email[MAX_GITNAME];
 extern char git_default_name[MAX_GITNAME];
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 531d4d43e..1e30ad9d1 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ static config_file *cf;
 
 static int zlib_compression_seen;
 
-const char *config_exclusive_filename = NULL;
-
 static void lowercase(char *p)
 {
 	for (; *p; p++)
@@ -936,7 +934,7 @@ int git_config_with_options(config_fn_t fn, void *data,
 
 int git_config(config_fn_t fn, void *data)
 {
-	return git_config_with_options(fn, data, config_exclusive_filename);
+	return git_config_with_options(fn, data, NULL);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1435,8 +1433,7 @@ int git_config_set_multivar_in_file(const char *config_filename,
 int git_config_set_multivar(const char *key, const char *value,
 			const char *value_regex, int multi_replace)
 {
-	return git_config_set_multivar_in_file(config_exclusive_filename,
-					       key, value, value_regex,
+	return git_config_set_multivar_in_file(NULL, key, value, value_regex,
 					       multi_replace);
 }
 
@@ -1562,8 +1559,7 @@ int git_config_rename_section_in_file(const char *config_filename,
 
 int git_config_rename_section(const char *old_name, const char *new_name)
 {
-	return git_config_rename_section_in_file(config_exclusive_filename,
-						 old_name, new_name);
+	return git_config_rename_section_in_file(NULL, old_name, new_name);
 }
 
 /*