diff --git a/credential-store.c b/credential-store.c
index f6925096ff..00aea3aa30 100644
--- a/credential-store.c
+++ b/credential-store.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ static void print_entry(struct credential *c)
 static void print_line(struct strbuf *buf)
 {
 	strbuf_addch(buf, '\n');
-	write_or_die(credential_lock.fd, buf->buf, buf->len);
+	write_or_die(get_lock_file_fd(&credential_lock), buf->buf, buf->len);
 }
 
 static void rewrite_credential_file(const char *fn, struct credential *c,
diff --git a/lockfile.c b/lockfile.c
index 2369eff541..df9c704f51 100644
--- a/lockfile.c
+++ b/lockfile.c
@@ -364,6 +364,20 @@ FILE *fdopen_lock_file(struct lock_file *lk, const char *mode)
 	return lk->fp;
 }
 
+int get_lock_file_fd(struct lock_file *lk)
+{
+	if (!lk->active)
+		die("BUG: get_lock_file_fd() called for unlocked object");
+	return lk->fd;
+}
+
+FILE *get_lock_file_fp(struct lock_file *lk)
+{
+	if (!lk->active)
+		die("BUG: get_lock_file_fp() called for unlocked object");
+	return lk->fp;
+}
+
 char *get_locked_file_path(struct lock_file *lk)
 {
 	if (!lk->active)
diff --git a/lockfile.h b/lockfile.h
index a483cc9ff3..d9dfbc999c 100644
--- a/lockfile.h
+++ b/lockfile.h
@@ -203,6 +203,9 @@ extern NORETURN void unable_to_lock_die(const char *path, int err);
  */
 extern FILE *fdopen_lock_file(struct lock_file *lk, const char *mode);
 
+extern int get_lock_file_fd(struct lock_file *lk);
+extern FILE *get_lock_file_fp(struct lock_file *lk);
+
 /*
  * Return the path of the file that is locked by the specified
  * lock_file object. The caller must free the memory.
diff --git a/read-cache.c b/read-cache.c
index 723d48dddf..96cb9a3116 100644
--- a/read-cache.c
+++ b/read-cache.c
@@ -2112,7 +2112,7 @@ static int commit_locked_index(struct lock_file *lk)
 static int do_write_locked_index(struct index_state *istate, struct lock_file *lock,
 				 unsigned flags)
 {
-	int ret = do_write_index(istate, lock->fd, 0);
+	int ret = do_write_index(istate, get_lock_file_fd(lock), 0);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 	assert((flags & (COMMIT_LOCK | CLOSE_LOCK)) !=
diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index a742d7925d..0f49a6210c 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -3162,6 +3162,7 @@ static int write_ref_to_lockfile(struct ref_lock *lock,
 {
 	static char term = '\n';
 	struct object *o;
+	int fd;
 
 	o = parse_object(sha1);
 	if (!o) {
@@ -3178,8 +3179,9 @@ static int write_ref_to_lockfile(struct ref_lock *lock,
 		errno = EINVAL;
 		return -1;
 	}
-	if (write_in_full(lock->lk->fd, sha1_to_hex(sha1), 40) != 40 ||
-	    write_in_full(lock->lk->fd, &term, 1) != 1 ||
+	fd = get_lock_file_fd(lock->lk);
+	if (write_in_full(fd, sha1_to_hex(sha1), 40) != 40 ||
+	    write_in_full(fd, &term, 1) != 1 ||
 	    close_ref(lock) < 0) {
 		int save_errno = errno;
 		error("Couldn't write %s", lock->lk->filename.buf);
@@ -4264,10 +4266,10 @@ int reflog_expire(const char *refname, const unsigned char *sha1,
 			status |= error("couldn't write %s: %s", log_file,
 					strerror(errno));
 		} else if (update &&
-			   (write_in_full(lock->lk->fd,
+			   (write_in_full(get_lock_file_fd(lock->lk),
 				sha1_to_hex(cb.last_kept_sha1), 40) != 40 ||
-			 write_str_in_full(lock->lk->fd, "\n") != 1 ||
-			 close_ref(lock) < 0)) {
+			    write_str_in_full(get_lock_file_fd(lock->lk), "\n") != 1 ||
+			    close_ref(lock) < 0)) {
 			status |= error("couldn't write %s",
 					lock->lk->filename.buf);
 			rollback_lock_file(&reflog_lock);