diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 5ff457ebfc..0347328fda 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -2318,6 +2318,7 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_sha1_basic(const char *refname,
 
 	lock->lock_fd = hold_lock_file_for_update(lock->lk, ref_file, lflags);
 	if (lock->lock_fd < 0) {
+		last_errno = errno;
 		if (errno == ENOENT && --attempts_remaining > 0)
 			/*
 			 * Maybe somebody just deleted one of the
@@ -2325,8 +2326,13 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_sha1_basic(const char *refname,
 			 * again:
 			 */
 			goto retry;
-		else
-			unable_to_lock_die(ref_file, errno);
+		else {
+			struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
+			unable_to_lock_message(ref_file, errno, &err);
+			error("%s", err.buf);
+			strbuf_reset(&err);
+			goto error_return;
+		}
 	}
 	return old_sha1 ? verify_lock(lock, old_sha1, mustexist) : lock;