diff --git a/t/t5801/git-remote-testgit b/t/t5801/git-remote-testgit
index bcfb358c51..c5b10f5775 100755
--- a/t/t5801/git-remote-testgit
+++ b/t/t5801/git-remote-testgit
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ GIT_DIR="$url/.git"
 export GIT_DIR
 
 force=
+object_format=
 
 mkdir -p "$dir"
 
@@ -61,7 +62,8 @@ do
 		echo
 		;;
 	list)
-		echo ":object-format $(git rev-parse --show-object-format=storage)"
+		test -n "$object_format" &&
+			echo ":object-format $(git rev-parse --show-object-format=storage)"
 		git for-each-ref --format='? %(refname)' 'refs/heads/' 'refs/tags/'
 		head=$(git symbolic-ref HEAD)
 		echo "@$head HEAD"
diff --git a/transport-helper.c b/transport-helper.c
index dde537190f..97fd9db388 100644
--- a/transport-helper.c
+++ b/transport-helper.c
@@ -1210,11 +1210,8 @@ static struct ref *get_refs_list_using_list(struct transport *transport,
 	data->get_refs_list_called = 1;
 	helper = get_helper(transport);
 
-	if (data->object_format) {
-		write_constant(helper->in, "option object-format\n");
-		if (recvline(data, &buf) || strcmp(buf.buf, "ok"))
-			exit(128);
-	}
+	if (data->object_format)
+		set_helper_option(transport, "object-format", "true");
 
 	if (data->push && for_push)
 		write_constant(helper->in, "list for-push\n");