diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index b9dbf1adb0..7c30dad59c 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -2118,6 +2118,8 @@ static int parse_insn_line(struct repository *r, struct todo_item *item,
 	saved = *end_of_object_name;
 	*end_of_object_name = '\0';
 	status = get_oid(bol, &commit_oid);
+	if (status < 0)
+		error(_("could not parse '%s'"), bol); /* return later */
 	*end_of_object_name = saved;
 
 	bol = end_of_object_name + strspn(end_of_object_name, " \t");
@@ -2125,11 +2127,10 @@ static int parse_insn_line(struct repository *r, struct todo_item *item,
 	item->arg_len = (int)(eol - bol);
 
 	if (status < 0)
-		return error(_("could not parse '%.*s'"),
-			     (int)(end_of_object_name - bol), bol);
+		return status;
 
 	item->commit = lookup_commit_reference(r, &commit_oid);
-	return !item->commit;
+	return item->commit ? 0 : -1;
 }
 
 int sequencer_get_last_command(struct repository *r, enum replay_action *action)