diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index 99f036302..25e76939e 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -511,12 +511,12 @@ int main(int argc, const char **argv)
 	argv++;
 	argc--;
 	handle_options(&argv, &argc, NULL);
-	commit_pager_choice();
 	if (argc > 0) {
 		if (!prefixcmp(argv[0], "--"))
 			argv[0] += 2;
 	} else {
 		/* The user didn't specify a command; give them help */
+		commit_pager_choice();
 		printf("usage: %s\n\n", git_usage_string);
 		list_common_cmds_help();
 		printf("\n%s\n", git_more_info_string);
diff --git a/t/t7006-pager.sh b/t/t7006-pager.sh
index 2b106be9e..eefef45cc 100755
--- a/t/t7006-pager.sh
+++ b/t/t7006-pager.sh
@@ -244,9 +244,21 @@ test_PAGER_overrides() {
 }
 
 test_core_pager_overrides() {
+	if_local_config=
+	used_if_wanted='overrides PAGER'
+	test_core_pager "$@"
+}
+
+test_local_config_ignored() {
+	if_local_config='! '
+	used_if_wanted='is not used'
+	test_core_pager "$@"
+}
+
+test_core_pager() {
 	parse_args "$@"
 
-	$test_expectation TTY "$cmd - core.pager overrides PAGER" "
+	$test_expectation TTY "$cmd - repository-local core.pager setting $used_if_wanted" "
 		unset GIT_PAGER;
 		rm -f core.pager_used ||
 		cleanup_fail &&
@@ -255,14 +267,26 @@ test_core_pager_overrides() {
 		export PAGER &&
 		git config core.pager 'wc >core.pager_used' &&
 		$full_command &&
-		test -e core.pager_used
+		${if_local_config}test -e core.pager_used
 	"
 }
 
 test_core_pager_subdir() {
+	if_local_config=
+	used_if_wanted='overrides PAGER'
+	test_pager_subdir_helper "$@"
+}
+
+test_no_local_config_subdir() {
+	if_local_config='! '
+	used_if_wanted='is not used'
+	test_pager_subdir_helper "$@"
+}
+
+test_pager_subdir_helper() {
 	parse_args "$@"
 
-	$test_expectation TTY "$cmd - core.pager from subdirectory" "
+	$test_expectation TTY "$cmd - core.pager $used_if_wanted from subdirectory" "
 		unset GIT_PAGER;
 		rm -f core.pager_used &&
 		rm -fr sub ||
@@ -277,7 +301,7 @@ test_core_pager_subdir() {
 			cd sub &&
 			$full_command
 		) &&
-		test -e core.pager_used
+		${if_local_config}test -e core.pager_used
 	"
 }
 
@@ -296,6 +320,20 @@ test_GIT_PAGER_overrides() {
 	"
 }
 
+test_doesnt_paginate() {
+	parse_args "$@"
+
+	$test_expectation TTY "no pager for '$cmd'" "
+		rm -f GIT_PAGER_used ||
+		cleanup_fail &&
+
+		GIT_PAGER='wc >GIT_PAGER_used' &&
+		export GIT_PAGER &&
+		$full_command &&
+		! test -e GIT_PAGER_used
+	"
+}
+
 test_default_pager        expect_success 'git log'
 test_PAGER_overrides      expect_success 'git log'
 test_core_pager_overrides expect_success 'git log'
@@ -305,19 +343,15 @@ test_GIT_PAGER_overrides  expect_success 'git log'
 test_default_pager        expect_success 'git -p log'
 test_PAGER_overrides      expect_success 'git -p log'
 test_core_pager_overrides expect_success 'git -p log'
-test_core_pager_subdir    expect_failure 'git -p log'
+test_core_pager_subdir    expect_success 'git -p log'
 test_GIT_PAGER_overrides  expect_success 'git -p log'
 
 test_default_pager        expect_success test_must_fail 'git -p'
 test_PAGER_overrides      expect_success test_must_fail 'git -p'
-test_core_pager_overrides expect_success test_must_fail 'git -p'
-test_core_pager_subdir    expect_failure test_must_fail 'git -p'
+test_local_config_ignored expect_failure test_must_fail 'git -p'
+test_no_local_config_subdir expect_success test_must_fail 'git -p'
 test_GIT_PAGER_overrides  expect_success test_must_fail 'git -p'
 
-test_default_pager        expect_success test_must_fail 'git -p nonsense'
-test_PAGER_overrides      expect_success test_must_fail 'git -p nonsense'
-test_core_pager_overrides expect_success test_must_fail 'git -p nonsense'
-test_core_pager_subdir    expect_failure test_must_fail 'git -p nonsense'
-test_GIT_PAGER_overrides  expect_success test_must_fail 'git -p nonsense'
+test_doesnt_paginate      expect_success test_must_fail 'git -p nonsense'
 
 test_done