diff --git a/builtin/fetch.c b/builtin/fetch.c
index 5456354489..2fabfed0ef 100644
--- a/builtin/fetch.c
+++ b/builtin/fetch.c
@@ -968,9 +968,21 @@ static int fetch_refs(struct transport *transport, struct ref *ref_map)
 	if (ret)
 		ret = transport_fetch_refs(transport, ref_map);
 	if (!ret)
-		ret |= store_updated_refs(transport->url,
-				transport->remote->name,
-				ref_map);
+		/*
+		 * Keep the new pack's ".keep" file around to allow the caller
+		 * time to update refs to reference the new objects.
+		 */
+		return 0;
+	transport_unlock_pack(transport);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+/* Update local refs based on the ref values fetched from a remote */
+static int consume_refs(struct transport *transport, struct ref *ref_map)
+{
+	int ret = store_updated_refs(transport->url,
+				     transport->remote->name,
+				     ref_map);
 	transport_unlock_pack(transport);
 	return ret;
 }
@@ -1116,7 +1128,8 @@ static void backfill_tags(struct transport *transport, struct ref *ref_map)
 	transport_set_option(transport, TRANS_OPT_FOLLOWTAGS, NULL);
 	transport_set_option(transport, TRANS_OPT_DEPTH, "0");
 	transport_set_option(transport, TRANS_OPT_DEEPEN_RELATIVE, NULL);
-	fetch_refs(transport, ref_map);
+	if (!fetch_refs(transport, ref_map))
+		consume_refs(transport, ref_map);
 
 	if (gsecondary) {
 		transport_disconnect(gsecondary);
@@ -1165,7 +1178,7 @@ static int do_fetch(struct transport *transport,
 				   transport->url);
 		}
 	}
-	if (fetch_refs(transport, ref_map)) {
+	if (fetch_refs(transport, ref_map) || consume_refs(transport, ref_map)) {
 		free_refs(ref_map);
 		retcode = 1;
 		goto cleanup;