diff --git a/CmdLine.hs b/CmdLine.hs
index 684ebf979a..861a31be97 100644
--- a/CmdLine.hs
+++ b/CmdLine.hs
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ import Messages
 import UUID
 
 {- Runs the passed command line. -}
-dispatch :: Git.Repo -> [String] -> [Command] -> [Option] -> String -> IO ()
-dispatch gitrepo args cmds options header = do
+dispatch :: [String] -> [Command] -> [Option] -> String -> Git.Repo -> IO ()
+dispatch args cmds options header gitrepo = do
 	setupConsole
 	state <- Annex.new gitrepo allBackends
 	(actions, state') <- Annex.run state $ parseCmd args header cmds options
diff --git a/GitAnnex.hs b/GitAnnex.hs
index b22313d3c5..103ee262f2 100644
--- a/GitAnnex.hs
+++ b/GitAnnex.hs
@@ -113,6 +113,4 @@ header :: String
 header = "Usage: git-annex command [option ..]"
 
 run :: [String] -> IO ()
-run args = do
-	gitrepo <- Git.repoFromCwd
-	dispatch gitrepo args cmds options header
+run args = dispatch args cmds options header =<< Git.repoFromCwd
diff --git a/git-annex-shell.hs b/git-annex-shell.hs
index 940db71c34..55f34e1027 100644
--- a/git-annex-shell.hs
+++ b/git-annex-shell.hs
@@ -58,10 +58,9 @@ builtins :: [String]
 builtins = map cmdname cmds
 
 builtin :: String -> String -> [String] -> IO ()
-builtin cmd dir params = do
-	dir' <- Git.repoAbsPath dir
-	gitrepo <- Git.repoFromAbsPath dir'
-	dispatch gitrepo (cmd:(filterparams params)) cmds commonOptions header
+builtin cmd dir params =
+	Git.repoAbsPath dir >>= Git.repoFromAbsPath >>=
+		dispatch (cmd:(filterparams params)) cmds commonOptions header
 
 external :: [String] -> IO ()
 external params = do