diff --git a/builtin/gc.c b/builtin/gc.c
index e103f0f85d..57069442b0 100644
--- a/builtin/gc.c
+++ b/builtin/gc.c
@@ -615,6 +615,7 @@ int cmd_gc(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		return -1;
 
 	if (!repository_format_precious_objects) {
+		close_all_packs(the_repository->objects);
 		if (run_command_v_opt(repack.argv, RUN_GIT_CMD))
 			return error(FAILED_RUN, repack.argv[0]);
 
diff --git a/t/t5510-fetch.sh b/t/t5510-fetch.sh
index 4e6d049b94..62308be499 100755
--- a/t/t5510-fetch.sh
+++ b/t/t5510-fetch.sh
@@ -828,9 +828,11 @@ test_expect_success 'fetching with auto-gc does not lock up' '
 	test_commit test2 &&
 	(
 		cd auto-gc &&
+		git config fetch.unpackLimit 1 &&
 		git config gc.autoPackLimit 1 &&
 		git config gc.autoDetach false &&
 		GIT_ASK_YESNO="$D/askyesno" git fetch >fetch.out 2>&1 &&
+		test_i18ngrep "Auto packing the repository" fetch.out &&
 		! grep "Should I try again" fetch.out
 	)
 '