diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 6ad1efb600..f657f4de84 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -689,20 +689,23 @@ done:
 
 static int delete_pseudoref(const char *pseudoref, const struct object_id *old_oid)
 {
-	static struct lock_file lock;
 	const char *filename;
 
 	filename = git_path("%s", pseudoref);
 
 	if (old_oid && !is_null_oid(old_oid)) {
+		struct lock_file lock = LOCK_INIT;
 		int fd;
 		struct object_id actual_old_oid;
 
 		fd = hold_lock_file_for_update_timeout(
-				&lock, filename, LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR,
+				&lock, filename, 0,
 				get_files_ref_lock_timeout_ms());
-		if (fd < 0)
-			die_errno(_("Could not open '%s' for writing"), filename);
+		if (fd < 0) {
+			error_errno(_("could not open '%s' for writing"),
+				    filename);
+			return -1;
+		}
 		if (read_ref(pseudoref, &actual_old_oid))
 			die("could not read ref '%s'", pseudoref);
 		if (oidcmp(&actual_old_oid, old_oid)) {