diff --git a/branch.c b/branch.c
index e5614b53b3..f64062be71 100644
--- a/branch.c
+++ b/branch.c
@@ -830,30 +830,3 @@ void die_if_checked_out(const char *branch, int ignore_current_worktree)
 
 	free_worktrees(worktrees);
 }
-
-int replace_each_worktree_head_symref(const char *oldref, const char *newref,
-				      const char *logmsg)
-{
-	int ret = 0;
-	struct worktree **worktrees = get_worktrees();
-	int i;
-
-	for (i = 0; worktrees[i]; i++) {
-		struct ref_store *refs;
-
-		if (worktrees[i]->is_detached)
-			continue;
-		if (!worktrees[i]->head_ref)
-			continue;
-		if (strcmp(oldref, worktrees[i]->head_ref))
-			continue;
-
-		refs = get_worktree_ref_store(worktrees[i]);
-		if (refs_create_symref(refs, "HEAD", newref, logmsg))
-			ret = error(_("HEAD of working tree %s is not updated"),
-				    worktrees[i]->path);
-	}
-
-	free_worktrees(worktrees);
-	return ret;
-}
diff --git a/branch.h b/branch.h
index ef56103c05..30c01aed73 100644
--- a/branch.h
+++ b/branch.h
@@ -155,12 +155,4 @@ int read_branch_desc(struct strbuf *, const char *branch_name);
  */
 void die_if_checked_out(const char *branch, int ignore_current_worktree);
 
-/*
- * Update all per-worktree HEADs pointing at the old ref to point the new ref.
- * This will be used when renaming a branch. Returns 0 if successful, non-zero
- * otherwise.
- */
-int replace_each_worktree_head_symref(const char *oldref, const char *newref,
-				      const char *logmsg);
-
 #endif
diff --git a/builtin/branch.c b/builtin/branch.c
index f63fd45edb..c7ace2f2da 100644
--- a/builtin/branch.c
+++ b/builtin/branch.c
@@ -509,6 +509,38 @@ static void reject_rebase_or_bisect_branch(const char *target)
 	free_worktrees(worktrees);
 }
 
+/*
+ * Update all per-worktree HEADs pointing at the old ref to point the new ref.
+ * This will be used when renaming a branch. Returns 0 if successful, non-zero
+ * otherwise.
+ */
+static int replace_each_worktree_head_symref(const char *oldref, const char *newref,
+					     const char *logmsg)
+{
+	int ret = 0;
+	struct worktree **worktrees = get_worktrees();
+	int i;
+
+	for (i = 0; worktrees[i]; i++) {
+		struct ref_store *refs;
+
+		if (worktrees[i]->is_detached)
+			continue;
+		if (!worktrees[i]->head_ref)
+			continue;
+		if (strcmp(oldref, worktrees[i]->head_ref))
+			continue;
+
+		refs = get_worktree_ref_store(worktrees[i]);
+		if (refs_create_symref(refs, "HEAD", newref, logmsg))
+			ret = error(_("HEAD of working tree %s is not updated"),
+				    worktrees[i]->path);
+	}
+
+	free_worktrees(worktrees);
+	return ret;
+}
+
 static void copy_or_rename_branch(const char *oldname, const char *newname, int copy, int force)
 {
 	struct strbuf oldref = STRBUF_INIT, newref = STRBUF_INIT, logmsg = STRBUF_INIT;
diff --git a/t/t3200-branch.sh b/t/t3200-branch.sh
index 5a169b68d6..6b8b59f15e 100755
--- a/t/t3200-branch.sh
+++ b/t/t3200-branch.sh
@@ -239,6 +239,21 @@ test_expect_success 'git branch -M baz bam should succeed when baz is checked ou
 	git worktree prune
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'git branch -M fails if updating any linked working tree fails' '
+	git worktree add -b baz bazdir1 &&
+	git worktree add -f bazdir2 baz &&
+	touch .git/worktrees/bazdir1/HEAD.lock &&
+	test_must_fail git branch -M baz bam &&
+	test $(git -C bazdir2 rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD) = bam &&
+	git branch -M bam baz &&
+	rm .git/worktrees/bazdir1/HEAD.lock &&
+	touch .git/worktrees/bazdir2/HEAD.lock &&
+	test_must_fail git branch -M baz bam &&
+	test $(git -C bazdir1 rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD) = bam &&
+	rm -rf bazdir1 bazdir2 &&
+	git worktree prune
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'git branch -M baz bam should succeed within a worktree in which baz is checked out' '
 	git checkout -b baz &&
 	git worktree add -f bazdir baz &&