diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index e4d0aa3d41..74a713090c 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -1920,27 +1920,49 @@ static void update_symref_reflog(struct files_ref_store *refs,
 	}
 }
 
-static int create_symref_locked(struct files_ref_store *refs,
-				struct ref_lock *lock, const char *refname,
-				const char *target, const char *logmsg)
+static int create_symref_lock(struct files_ref_store *refs,
+			      struct ref_lock *lock, const char *refname,
+			      const char *target, struct strbuf *err)
 {
+	if (!fdopen_lock_file(&lock->lk, "w")) {
+		strbuf_addf(err, "unable to fdopen %s: %s",
+			     get_lock_file_path(&lock->lk), strerror(errno));
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (fprintf(get_lock_file_fp(&lock->lk), "ref: %s\n", target) < 0) {
+		strbuf_addf(err, "unable to write to %s: %s",
+			     get_lock_file_path(&lock->lk), strerror(errno));
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int create_and_commit_symref(struct files_ref_store *refs,
+				    struct ref_lock *lock, const char *refname,
+				    const char *target, const char *logmsg)
+{
+	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
+	int ret;
+
 	if (prefer_symlink_refs && !create_ref_symlink(lock, target)) {
 		update_symref_reflog(refs, lock, refname, target, logmsg);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	if (!fdopen_lock_file(&lock->lk, "w"))
-		return error("unable to fdopen %s: %s",
-			     get_lock_file_path(&lock->lk), strerror(errno));
+	ret = create_symref_lock(refs, lock, refname, target, &err);
+	if (!ret) {
+		update_symref_reflog(refs, lock, refname, target, logmsg);
 
-	update_symref_reflog(refs, lock, refname, target, logmsg);
+		if (commit_ref(lock) < 0)
+			return error("unable to write symref for %s: %s", refname,
+				     strerror(errno));
+	} else {
+		return error("%s", err.buf);
+	}
 
-	/* no error check; commit_ref will check ferror */
-	fprintf(get_lock_file_fp(&lock->lk), "ref: %s\n", target);
-	if (commit_ref(lock) < 0)
-		return error("unable to write symref for %s: %s", refname,
-			     strerror(errno));
-	return 0;
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static int files_create_symref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
@@ -1960,7 +1982,8 @@ static int files_create_symref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	ret = create_symref_locked(refs, lock, refname, target, logmsg);
+	ret = create_and_commit_symref(refs, lock, refname, target, logmsg);
+
 	unlock_ref(lock);
 	return ret;
 }