diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 68b73aa1450f483a3116e045193a879515ecdb84..ddd799e65bdcc29ebd2dc5d530488b341b166f4d 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ static struct ref_cache *get_ref_cache(const char *submodule)
 	return refs;
 }
 
-static void invalidate_ref_cache(const char *submodule)
+void invalidate_ref_cache(const char *submodule)
 {
 	clear_ref_cache(get_ref_cache(submodule));
 }
diff --git a/refs.h b/refs.h
index 0229c57132f53b85e4d6af8b62627383a49527ac..f439c54eb23f11e084ad9f8299d17e2ad888424b 100644
--- a/refs.h
+++ b/refs.h
@@ -80,6 +80,14 @@ extern void unlock_ref(struct ref_lock *lock);
 /** Writes sha1 into the ref specified by the lock. **/
 extern int write_ref_sha1(struct ref_lock *lock, const unsigned char *sha1, const char *msg);
 
+/*
+ * Invalidate the reference cache for the specified submodule.  Use
+ * submodule=NULL to invalidate the cache for the main module.  This
+ * function must be called if references are changed via a mechanism
+ * other than the refs API.
+ */
+extern void invalidate_ref_cache(const char *submodule);
+
 /** Setup reflog before using. **/
 int log_ref_setup(const char *ref_name, char *logfile, int bufsize);