1 files changed, 2 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/notes.c b/notes.c
index 02f1aa39ae..ce32d96ae5 100644
--- a/notes.c
+++ b/notes.c
@@ -1020,13 +1020,13 @@ void init_notes(struct notes_tree *t, const char *notes_ref,
 	t->root = (struct int_node *) xcalloc(1, sizeof(struct int_node));
 	t->first_non_note = NULL;
 	t->prev_non_note = NULL;
-	t->ref = xstrdup_or_null(notes_ref);
+	t->ref = xstrdup(notes_ref);
 	t->update_ref = (flags & NOTES_INIT_WRITABLE) ? t->ref : NULL;
 	t->combine_notes = combine_notes;
 	t->initialized = 1;
 	t->dirty = 0;
 
-	if (flags & NOTES_INIT_EMPTY || !notes_ref ||
+	if (flags & NOTES_INIT_EMPTY ||
 	    repo_get_oid_treeish(the_repository, notes_ref, &object_oid))
 		return;
 	if (flags & NOTES_INIT_WRITABLE && read_ref(notes_ref, &object_oid))