diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index 55ed074ae7..bdd66b4b67 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -4223,42 +4223,26 @@ int apply_autostash_oid(const char *stash_oid)
 	return apply_save_autostash_oid(stash_oid, 1);
 }
 
-static int run_git_checkout(struct repository *r, struct replay_opts *opts,
-			    const char *commit, const char *action)
-{
-	struct child_process cmd = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
-	int ret;
-
-	cmd.git_cmd = 1;
-
-	strvec_push(&cmd.args, "checkout");
-	strvec_push(&cmd.args, commit);
-	strvec_pushf(&cmd.env_array, GIT_REFLOG_ACTION "=%s", action);
-
-	if (opts->verbose)
-		ret = run_command(&cmd);
-	else
-		ret = run_command_silent_on_success(&cmd);
-
-	if (!ret)
-		discard_index(r->index);
-
-	return ret;
-}
-
 static int checkout_onto(struct repository *r, struct replay_opts *opts,
 			 const char *onto_name, const struct object_id *onto,
 			 const struct object_id *orig_head)
 {
-	const char *action = reflog_message(opts, "start", "checkout %s", onto_name);
-
-	if (run_git_checkout(r, opts, oid_to_hex(onto), action)) {
+	struct reset_head_opts ropts = {
+		.oid = onto,
+		.orig_head = orig_head,
+		.flags = RESET_HEAD_DETACH | RESET_ORIG_HEAD |
+				RESET_HEAD_RUN_POST_CHECKOUT_HOOK,
+		.head_msg = reflog_message(opts, "start", "checkout %s",
+					   onto_name),
+		.default_reflog_action = "rebase"
+	};
+	if (reset_head(r, &ropts)) {
 		apply_autostash(rebase_path_autostash());
 		sequencer_remove_state(opts);
 		return error(_("could not detach HEAD"));
 	}
 
-	return update_ref(NULL, "ORIG_HEAD", orig_head, NULL, 0, UPDATE_REFS_MSG_ON_ERR);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int stopped_at_head(struct repository *r)