diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 915f130306..99c9ec2054 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -159,11 +159,11 @@ PROGRAMS = \
 	git-ssh-upload$X git-unpack-file$X \
 	git-unpack-objects$X git-update-server-info$X \
 	git-upload-pack$X git-verify-pack$X \
-	git-update-ref$X git-symbolic-ref$X \
+	git-symbolic-ref$X \
 	git-name-rev$X git-pack-redundant$X git-repo-config$X git-var$X \
 	git-describe$X git-merge-tree$X git-blame$X git-imap-send$X
 
-BUILT_INS = git-log$X git-whatchanged$X git-show$X \
+BUILT_INS = git-log$X git-whatchanged$X git-show$X git-update-ref$X \
 	git-count-objects$X git-diff$X git-push$X git-mailsplit$X \
 	git-grep$X git-add$X git-rm$X git-rev-list$X git-stripspace$X \
 	git-check-ref-format$X git-rev-parse$X git-mailinfo$X \
@@ -226,7 +226,8 @@ BUILTIN_OBJS = \
 	builtin-read-tree.o builtin-commit-tree.o builtin-mailinfo.o \
 	builtin-apply.o builtin-show-branch.o builtin-diff-files.o \
 	builtin-diff-index.o builtin-diff-stages.o builtin-diff-tree.o \
-	builtin-cat-file.o builtin-mailsplit.o builtin-stripspace.o
+	builtin-cat-file.o builtin-mailsplit.o builtin-stripspace.o \
+	builtin-update-ref.o
 
 GITLIBS = $(LIB_FILE) $(XDIFF_LIB)
 LIBS = $(GITLIBS) -lz
diff --git a/update-ref.c b/builtin-update-ref.c
similarity index 88%
rename from update-ref.c
rename to builtin-update-ref.c
index a1e6bb90fe..00333c7e7c 100644
--- a/update-ref.c
+++ b/builtin-update-ref.c
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 #include "cache.h"
 #include "refs.h"
+#include "builtin.h"
 
 static const char git_update_ref_usage[] =
 "git-update-ref <refname> <value> [<oldval>] [-m <reason>]";
 
-int main(int argc, char **argv)
+int cmd_update_ref(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp)
 {
 	const char *refname=NULL, *value=NULL, *oldval=NULL, *msg=NULL;
 	struct ref_lock *lock;
@@ -52,5 +53,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		return 1;
 	if (write_ref_sha1(lock, sha1, msg) < 0)
 		return 1;
+
+	/* write_ref_sha1 always unlocks the ref, no need to do it explicitly */
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/builtin.h b/builtin.h
index 03ffdc35e7..f12d5e68f6 100644
--- a/builtin.h
+++ b/builtin.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ extern int cmd_diff_tree(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp);
 extern int cmd_cat_file(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp);
 extern int cmd_rev_parse(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp);
 extern int cmd_update_index(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp);
+extern int cmd_update_ref(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp);
 
 extern int cmd_write_tree(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp);
 extern int write_tree(unsigned char *sha1, int missing_ok, const char *prefix);
diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index 28c7641291..94e9a4a4b9 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -183,7 +183,8 @@ static void handle_internal_command(int argc, const char **argv, char **envp)
 		{ "mailsplit", cmd_mailsplit },
 		{ "mailinfo", cmd_mailinfo },
 		{ "stripspace", cmd_stripspace },
-		{ "update-index", cmd_update_index }
+		{ "update-index", cmd_update_index },
+		{ "update-ref", cmd_update_ref }
 	};
 	int i;