diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index fac6548001..09a2c87fc2 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -869,6 +869,7 @@ static int repack_without_ref(const char *refname)
 			die("too long a refname '%s'", list->name);
 		write_or_die(fd, line, len);
 	}
+	close(fd);
 	return commit_lock_file(&packlock);
 }