diff --git a/builtin/apply.c b/builtin/apply.c
index 12ef9ea8af..f005ba1e89 100644
--- a/builtin/apply.c
+++ b/builtin/apply.c
@@ -3607,11 +3607,11 @@ static int option_parse_directory(const struct option *opt,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int cmd_apply(int argc, const char **argv, const char *unused_prefix)
+int cmd_apply(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix_)
 {
 	int i;
 	int errs = 0;
-	int is_not_gitdir;
+	int is_not_gitdir = !startup_info->have_repository;
 	int binary;
 	int force_apply = 0;
 
@@ -3684,7 +3684,7 @@ int cmd_apply(int argc, const char **argv, const char *unused_prefix)
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
-	prefix = setup_git_directory_gently(&is_not_gitdir);
+	prefix = prefix_;
 	prefix_length = prefix ? strlen(prefix) : 0;
 	git_config(git_apply_config, NULL);
 	if (apply_default_whitespace)
diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index 5a47bfbcbd..38dbe7022e 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ static void handle_internal_command(int argc, const char **argv)
 		{ "add", cmd_add, RUN_SETUP | NEED_WORK_TREE },
 		{ "stage", cmd_add, RUN_SETUP | NEED_WORK_TREE },
 		{ "annotate", cmd_annotate, RUN_SETUP },
-		{ "apply", cmd_apply },
+		{ "apply", cmd_apply, RUN_SETUP_GENTLY },
 		{ "archive", cmd_archive },
 		{ "bisect--helper", cmd_bisect__helper, RUN_SETUP | NEED_WORK_TREE },
 		{ "blame", cmd_blame, RUN_SETUP },
diff --git a/t/t7006-pager.sh b/t/t7006-pager.sh
index bb9533581e..6c86d7035f 100755
--- a/t/t7006-pager.sh
+++ b/t/t7006-pager.sh
@@ -391,4 +391,7 @@ test_no_local_config_subdir expect_success 'git shortlog'
 test_default_pager        expect_success 'git -p shortlog'
 test_core_pager_subdir    expect_success 'git -p shortlog'
 
+test_core_pager_subdir    expect_success test_must_fail \
+					 'git -p apply </dev/null'
+
 test_done