diff --git a/run-command.c b/run-command.c
index 5a4dbb66d7..326936273d 100644
--- a/run-command.c
+++ b/run-command.c
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ int in_async(void)
 	return !pthread_equal(main_thread, pthread_self());
 }
 
-void NORETURN async_exit(int code)
+static void NORETURN async_exit(int code)
 {
 	pthread_exit((void *)(intptr_t)code);
 }
@@ -684,13 +684,26 @@ int in_async(void)
 	return process_is_async;
 }
 
-void NORETURN async_exit(int code)
+static void NORETURN async_exit(int code)
 {
 	exit(code);
 }
 
 #endif
 
+void check_pipe(int err)
+{
+	if (err == EPIPE) {
+		if (in_async())
+			async_exit(141);
+
+		signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_DFL);
+		raise(SIGPIPE);
+		/* Should never happen, but just in case... */
+		exit(141);
+	}
+}
+
 int start_async(struct async *async)
 {
 	int need_in, need_out;
diff --git a/run-command.h b/run-command.h
index 50666497ae..cf29a3195a 100644
--- a/run-command.h
+++ b/run-command.h
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ struct async {
 int start_async(struct async *async);
 int finish_async(struct async *async);
 int in_async(void);
-void NORETURN async_exit(int code);
+void check_pipe(int err);
 
 /**
  * This callback should initialize the child process and preload the
diff --git a/write_or_die.c b/write_or_die.c
index 073443247a..eab8c8d0b9 100644
--- a/write_or_die.c
+++ b/write_or_die.c
@@ -1,19 +1,6 @@
 #include "cache.h"
 #include "run-command.h"
 
-static void check_pipe(int err)
-{
-	if (err == EPIPE) {
-		if (in_async())
-			async_exit(141);
-
-		signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_DFL);
-		raise(SIGPIPE);
-		/* Should never happen, but just in case... */
-		exit(141);
-	}
-}
-
 /*
  * Some cases use stdio, but want to flush after the write
  * to get error handling (and to get better interactive