diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 808e261c23..2ce5d69090 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -2389,7 +2389,7 @@ static void prune_ref(struct ref_to_prune *r)
 	struct ref_transaction *transaction;
 	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-	if (check_refname_format(r->name + 5, 0))
+	if (check_refname_format(r->name, 0))
 		return;
 
 	transaction = ref_transaction_begin(&err);
diff --git a/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh b/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
index 1a2080e3dc..3a017bf437 100755
--- a/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
+++ b/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
@@ -151,4 +151,11 @@ test_expect_success 'delete ref while another dangling packed ref' '
 	test_cmp /dev/null result
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'pack ref directly below refs/' '
+	git update-ref refs/top HEAD &&
+	git pack-refs --all --prune &&
+	grep refs/top .git/packed-refs &&
+	test_path_is_missing .git/refs/top
+'
+
 test_done