diff --git a/builtin/checkout-index.c b/builtin/checkout-index.c
index 39c8be05dc..b0e78b819d 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout-index.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout-index.c
@@ -129,8 +129,6 @@ static const char * const builtin_checkout_index_usage[] = {
 	NULL
 };
 
-static struct lock_file lock_file;
-
 static int option_parse_stage(const struct option *opt,
 			      const char *arg, int unset)
 {
@@ -150,7 +148,7 @@ static int option_parse_stage(const struct option *opt,
 int cmd_checkout_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	int i;
-	int newfd = -1;
+	struct lock_file lock_file = LOCK_INIT;
 	int all = 0;
 	int read_from_stdin = 0;
 	int prefix_length;
@@ -206,7 +204,7 @@ int cmd_checkout_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (index_opt && !state.base_dir_len && !to_tempfile) {
 		state.refresh_cache = 1;
 		state.istate = &the_index;
-		newfd = hold_locked_index(&lock_file, LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR);
+		hold_locked_index(&lock_file, LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR);
 	}
 
 	/* Check out named files first */
@@ -251,7 +249,7 @@ int cmd_checkout_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (all)
 		checkout_all(prefix, prefix_length);
 
-	if (0 <= newfd &&
+	if (is_lock_file_locked(&lock_file) &&
 	    write_locked_index(&the_index, &lock_file, COMMIT_LOCK))
 		die("Unable to write new index file");
 	return 0;