diff --git a/oid-array.c b/oid-array.c
index 8657a5c..29f718d 100644
--- a/oid-array.c
+++ b/oid-array.c
@@ -14,8 +14,10 @@ static int void_hashcmp(const void *a, const void *b)
 	return oidcmp(a, b);
 }
 
-static void oid_array_sort(struct oid_array *array)
+void oid_array_sort(struct oid_array *array)
 {
+	if (array->sorted)
+		return;
 	QSORT(array->oid, array->nr, void_hashcmp);
 	array->sorted = 1;
 }
@@ -28,8 +30,7 @@ static const unsigned char *sha1_access(size_t index, void *table)
 
 int oid_array_lookup(struct oid_array *array, const struct object_id *oid)
 {
-	if (!array->sorted)
-		oid_array_sort(array);
+	oid_array_sort(array);
 	return sha1_pos(oid->hash, array->oid, array->nr, sha1_access);
 }
 
@@ -64,8 +65,7 @@ int oid_array_for_each_unique(struct oid_array *array,
 {
 	size_t i;
 
-	if (!array->sorted)
-		oid_array_sort(array);
+	oid_array_sort(array);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < array->nr; i++) {
 		int ret;