diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index ad5d66c8c9..3710748ab8 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -3235,7 +3235,7 @@ int update_ref(const char *action, const char *refname,
 	       int flags, enum action_on_err onerr)
 {
 	struct ref_lock *lock;
-	lock = update_ref_lock(refname, oldval, flags, 0, onerr);
+	lock = update_ref_lock(refname, oldval, flags, NULL, onerr);
 	if (!lock)
 		return 1;
 	return update_ref_write(action, refname, sha1, lock, onerr);