diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index d1130e2259..651e37e127 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -2878,7 +2878,6 @@ int rename_ref(const char *oldrefname, const char *newrefname, const char *logms
 		error("unable to lock %s for update", newrefname);
 		goto rollback;
 	}
-	lock->force_write = 1;
 	hashcpy(lock->old_sha1, orig_sha1);
 	if (write_ref_sha1(lock, orig_sha1, logmsg)) {
 		error("unable to write current sha1 into %s", newrefname);
@@ -2894,7 +2893,6 @@ int rename_ref(const char *oldrefname, const char *newrefname, const char *logms
 		goto rollbacklog;
 	}
 
-	lock->force_write = 1;
 	flag = log_all_ref_updates;
 	log_all_ref_updates = 0;
 	if (write_ref_sha1(lock, orig_sha1, NULL))
@@ -3080,10 +3078,6 @@ static int write_ref_sha1(struct ref_lock *lock,
 	static char term = '\n';
 	struct object *o;
 
-	if (!lock->force_write && !hashcmp(lock->old_sha1, sha1)) {
-		unlock_ref(lock);
-		return 0;
-	}
 	o = parse_object(sha1);
 	if (!o) {
 		error("Trying to write ref %s with nonexistent object %s",
@@ -3797,15 +3791,21 @@ int ref_transaction_commit(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
 		struct ref_update *update = updates[i];
 
 		if (!is_null_sha1(update->new_sha1)) {
-			if (write_ref_sha1(update->lock, update->new_sha1,
-					   update->msg)) {
+			if (!update->lock->force_write &&
+			    !hashcmp(update->lock->old_sha1, update->new_sha1)) {
+				unlock_ref(update->lock);
+				update->lock = NULL;
+			} else if (write_ref_sha1(update->lock, update->new_sha1,
+						  update->msg)) {
 				update->lock = NULL; /* freed by write_ref_sha1 */
 				strbuf_addf(err, "Cannot update the ref '%s'.",
 					    update->refname);
 				ret = TRANSACTION_GENERIC_ERROR;
 				goto cleanup;
+			} else {
+				/* freed by write_ref_sha1(): */
+				update->lock = NULL;
 			}
-			update->lock = NULL; /* freed by write_ref_sha1 */
 		}
 	}