diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index 71848ab9d6..5e67bfae68 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -3314,7 +3314,8 @@ int reflog_expire(const char *refname, const unsigned char *sha1,
 	 * reference itself, plus we might need to update the
 	 * reference if --updateref was specified:
 	 */
-	lock = lock_ref_sha1_basic(refname, sha1, NULL, NULL, 0, &type, &err);
+	lock = lock_ref_sha1_basic(refname, sha1, NULL, NULL, REF_NODEREF,
+				   &type, &err);
 	if (!lock) {
 		error("cannot lock ref '%s': %s", refname, err.buf);
 		strbuf_release(&err);
diff --git a/t/t1410-reflog.sh b/t/t1410-reflog.sh
index c623824b4d..9cf91dc6d2 100755
--- a/t/t1410-reflog.sh
+++ b/t/t1410-reflog.sh
@@ -338,4 +338,14 @@ test_expect_failure 'reflog with non-commit entries displays all entries' '
 	test_line_count = 3 actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'reflog expire operates on symref not referrent' '
+	git branch -l the_symref &&
+	git branch -l referrent &&
+	git update-ref referrent HEAD &&
+	git symbolic-ref refs/heads/the_symref refs/heads/referrent &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f .git/refs/heads/referrent.lock" &&
+	touch .git/refs/heads/referrent.lock &&
+	git reflog expire --expire=all the_symref
+'
+
 test_done