diff --git a/attr.c b/attr.c
index aef93d896..b52efb55a 100644
--- a/attr.c
+++ b/attr.c
@@ -520,11 +520,13 @@ static void bootstrap_attr_stack(void)
 		home_config_paths(NULL, &xdg_attributes_file, "attributes");
 		git_attributes_file = xdg_attributes_file;
 	}
-	elem = read_attr_from_file(git_attributes_file, 1);
-	if (elem) {
-		elem->origin = NULL;
-		elem->prev = attr_stack;
-		attr_stack = elem;
+	if (git_attributes_file) {
+		elem = read_attr_from_file(git_attributes_file, 1);
+		if (elem) {
+			elem->origin = NULL;
+			elem->prev = attr_stack;
+			attr_stack = elem;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (!is_bare_repository() || direction == GIT_ATTR_INDEX) {
diff --git a/t/t1306-xdg-files.sh b/t/t1306-xdg-files.sh
index 3c75c3f2e..1569596ab 100755
--- a/t/t1306-xdg-files.sh
+++ b/t/t1306-xdg-files.sh
@@ -106,6 +106,12 @@ test_expect_success 'Checking attributes in the XDG attributes file' '
 	test_cmp expected actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'Checking XDG attributes when HOME is unset' '
+	>expected &&
+	(sane_unset HOME &&
+	 git check-attr -a f >actual) &&
+	test_cmp expected actual
+'
 
 test_expect_success 'Checking attributes in both XDG and local attributes files' '
 	echo "f -attr_f" >.gitattributes &&