1 files changed, 7 insertions, 5 deletions

diff --git a/attr.c b/attr.c
index aef93d896f..b52efb55a0 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) {