diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/resources/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/internal/CLIText.properties b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/resources/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/internal/CLIText.properties
index 55ce3e7d1..cb0ea1bc4 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/resources/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/internal/CLIText.properties
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/resources/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/internal/CLIText.properties
@@ -265,6 +265,9 @@ usage_RepositoryToReceiveInto=Repository to receive into
 usage_RevList=List commit objects in reverse chronological order
 usage_RevParse=Pick out and massage parameters
 usage_RevParseAll=Show all refs found in refs/
+usage_RevParseVerify=Verify that exactly one parameter is provided, and that it can be turned into \
+a raw 20-byte SHA-1 that can be used to access the object database. If so, emit it to the standard \
+output; otherwise, error out.
 usage_S3Bucket=S3 bucket name
 usage_S3Expiration=Authorization validity in seconds, default 60 sec
 usage_S3Region=S3 region (us-east-1 | us-west-1 | us-west-2 | eu-west-1 |\
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/RevParse.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/RevParse.java
index fa9f64de4..215703409 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/RevParse.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.pgm/src/org/eclipse/jgit/pgm/RevParse.java
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class RevParse extends TextBuiltin {
 	boolean verify;
 
 	@Argument(index = 0, metaVar = "metaVar_commitish")
-	private final List<ObjectId> commits = new ArrayList<>();
+	private List<ObjectId> commits = new ArrayList<>();
 
 	@Override
 	protected void run() throws Exception {
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/TransportGitSsh.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/TransportGitSsh.java
index 24bc058c4..b1b910ea2 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/TransportGitSsh.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/TransportGitSsh.java
@@ -242,14 +242,7 @@ public Process exec(String command, int timeout)
 				args.add(getURI().getHost());
 			args.add(command);
 
-			ProcessBuilder pb = new ProcessBuilder();
-			pb.command(args);
-
-			File directory = local.getDirectory();
-			if (directory != null)
-				pb.environment().put(Constants.GIT_DIR_KEY,
-						directory.getPath());
-
+			ProcessBuilder pb = createProcess(args);
 			try {
 				return pb.start();
 			} catch (IOException err) {
@@ -257,6 +250,17 @@ public Process exec(String command, int timeout)
 			}
 		}
 
+		private ProcessBuilder createProcess(List<String> args) {
+			ProcessBuilder pb = new ProcessBuilder();
+			pb.command(args);
+			File directory = local != null ? local.getDirectory() : null;
+			if (directory != null) {
+				pb.environment().put(Constants.GIT_DIR_KEY,
+						directory.getPath());
+			}
+			return pb;
+		}
+
 		@Override
 		public void disconnect() {
 			// Nothing to do