diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 76609bff43..58b118243c 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -3802,16 +3802,15 @@ int ref_transaction_commit(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
 	/* Acquire all locks while verifying old values */
 	for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
 		struct ref_update *update = updates[i];
-		int flags = update->flags;
 
 		if (is_null_sha1(update->new_sha1))
-			flags |= REF_DELETING;
+			update->flags |= REF_DELETING;
 		update->lock = lock_ref_sha1_basic(update->refname,
 						   (update->have_old ?
 						    update->old_sha1 :
 						    NULL),
 						   NULL,
-						   flags,
+						   update->flags,
 						   &update->type);
 		if (!update->lock) {
 			ret = (errno == ENOTDIR)
@@ -3827,7 +3826,7 @@ int ref_transaction_commit(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
 	for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
 		struct ref_update *update = updates[i];
 
-		if (!is_null_sha1(update->new_sha1)) {
+		if (!(update->flags & REF_DELETING)) {
 			if (!update->lock->force_write &&
 			    !hashcmp(update->lock->old_sha1, update->new_sha1)) {
 				unlock_ref(update->lock);