diff --git a/builtin-revert.c b/builtin-revert.c
index d210150671..3f2614e1bb 100644
--- a/builtin-revert.c
+++ b/builtin-revert.c
@@ -376,6 +376,7 @@ static int revert_or_cherry_pick(int argc, const char **argv)
 	    (write_cache(index_fd, active_cache, active_nr) ||
 	     commit_locked_index(&index_lock)))
 		die("%s: Unable to write new index file", me);
+	rollback_lock_file(&index_lock);
 
 	if (!clean) {
 		add_to_msg("\nConflicts:\n\n");
diff --git a/t/t3505-cherry-pick-empty.sh b/t/t3505-cherry-pick-empty.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..9aaeabd972
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t3505-cherry-pick-empty.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+test_description='test cherry-picking an empty commit'
+
+. ./test-lib.sh
+
+test_expect_success setup '
+
+	echo first > file1 &&
+	git add file1 &&
+	test_tick &&
+	git commit -m "first" &&
+
+	git checkout -b empty-branch &&
+	test_tick &&
+	git commit --allow-empty -m "empty"
+
+'
+
+test_expect_code 1 'cherry-pick an empty commit' '
+
+	git checkout master &&
+	git cherry-pick empty-branch
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'index lockfile was removed' '
+
+	test ! -f .git/index.lock
+
+'
+
+test_done