diff --git a/builtin/pack-objects.c b/builtin/pack-objects.c
index 0a46584922..7a3632828c 100644
--- a/builtin/pack-objects.c
+++ b/builtin/pack-objects.c
@@ -1250,7 +1250,6 @@ static void write_pack_file(void)
 			stage_tmp_packfiles(&tmpname, pack_tmp_name,
 					    written_list, nr_written,
 					    &pack_idx_opts, hash, &idx_tmp_name);
-			rename_tmp_packfile_idx(&tmpname, &idx_tmp_name);
 
 			if (write_bitmap_index) {
 				size_t tmpname_len = tmpname.len;
@@ -1267,6 +1266,8 @@ static void write_pack_file(void)
 				strbuf_setlen(&tmpname, tmpname_len);
 			}
 
+			rename_tmp_packfile_idx(&tmpname, &idx_tmp_name);
+
 			free(idx_tmp_name);
 			strbuf_release(&tmpname);
 			free(pack_tmp_name);