diff --git a/rev-parse.c b/rev-parse.c
index 7abad35de90b190c5d5e5456661853cf8167954a..9567b0f5b919c76700ea9899ba807425953bf87c 100644
--- a/rev-parse.c
+++ b/rev-parse.c
@@ -294,7 +294,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 		if (verify)
 			die("Needed a single revision");
-		if (lstat(arg, &st) < 0)
+		if ((filter & DO_REVS) &&
+		    (filter & DO_NONFLAGS) && /* !def && */
+		    lstat(arg, &st) < 0)
 			die("'%s': %s", arg, strerror(errno));
 		as_is = 1;
 		show_file(arg);