diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index 90b671025a..5795e54020 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -1249,6 +1249,7 @@ static int files_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *msg,
 {
 	struct files_ref_store *refs =
 		files_downcast(ref_store, REF_STORE_WRITE, "delete_refs");
+	struct ref_transaction *transaction = NULL;
 	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int i, result = 0;
 
@@ -1258,10 +1259,14 @@ static int files_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *msg,
 	if (packed_refs_lock(refs->packed_ref_store, 0, &err))
 		goto error;
 
-	if (refs_delete_refs(refs->packed_ref_store, msg, refnames, flags)) {
-		packed_refs_unlock(refs->packed_ref_store);
+	transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs->packed_ref_store, &err);
+	if (!transaction)
+		goto error;
+
+	result = packed_refs_delete_refs(refs->packed_ref_store,
+					 transaction, msg, refnames, flags);
+	if (result)
 		goto error;
-	}
 
 	packed_refs_unlock(refs->packed_ref_store);
 
@@ -1288,6 +1293,7 @@ static int files_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *msg,
 	else
 		error(_("could not delete references: %s"), err.buf);
 
+	ref_transaction_free(transaction);
 	strbuf_release(&err);
 	return -1;
 }
diff --git a/refs/packed-backend.c b/refs/packed-backend.c
index 67152c664e..e97d67f932 100644
--- a/refs/packed-backend.c
+++ b/refs/packed-backend.c
@@ -1522,15 +1522,10 @@ static int packed_initial_transaction_commit(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 static int packed_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *msg,
 			     struct string_list *refnames, unsigned int flags)
 {
-	struct packed_ref_store *refs =
-		packed_downcast(ref_store, REF_STORE_WRITE, "delete_refs");
 	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct ref_transaction *transaction;
-	struct string_list_item *item;
 	int ret;
 
-	(void)refs; /* We need the check above, but don't use the variable */
-
 	if (!refnames->nr)
 		return 0;
 
@@ -1544,6 +1539,27 @@ static int packed_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *msg,
 	if (!transaction)
 		return -1;
 
+	ret = packed_refs_delete_refs(ref_store, transaction,
+				      msg, refnames, flags);
+
+	ref_transaction_free(transaction);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+int packed_refs_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store,
+			    struct ref_transaction *transaction,
+			    const char *msg,
+			    struct string_list *refnames,
+			    unsigned int flags)
+{
+	struct packed_ref_store *refs =
+		packed_downcast(ref_store, REF_STORE_WRITE, "delete_refs");
+	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
+	struct string_list_item *item;
+	int ret;
+
+	(void)(refs); /* We need the check above, but don't use the variable */
+
 	for_each_string_list_item(item, refnames) {
 		if (ref_transaction_delete(transaction, item->string, NULL,
 					   flags, msg, &err)) {
@@ -1554,7 +1570,6 @@ static int packed_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *msg,
 	}
 
 	ret = ref_transaction_commit(transaction, &err);
-
 	if (ret) {
 		if (refnames->nr == 1)
 			error(_("could not delete reference %s: %s"),
@@ -1563,7 +1578,6 @@ static int packed_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *msg,
 			error(_("could not delete references: %s"), err.buf);
 	}
 
-	ref_transaction_free(transaction);
 	strbuf_release(&err);
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/refs/packed-backend.h b/refs/packed-backend.h
index f61a73ec25..a2cca5d9a3 100644
--- a/refs/packed-backend.h
+++ b/refs/packed-backend.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 struct repository;
 struct ref_transaction;
+struct string_list;
 
 /*
  * Support for storing references in a `packed-refs` file.
@@ -27,6 +28,12 @@ int packed_refs_lock(struct ref_store *ref_store, int flags, struct strbuf *err)
 void packed_refs_unlock(struct ref_store *ref_store);
 int packed_refs_is_locked(struct ref_store *ref_store);
 
+int packed_refs_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store,
+			    struct ref_transaction *transaction,
+			    const char *msg,
+			    struct string_list *refnames,
+			    unsigned int flags);
+
 /*
  * Return true if `transaction` really needs to be carried out against
  * the specified packed_ref_store, or false if it can be skipped
