diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index 90b671025a..f1b66130df 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -93,9 +93,8 @@ static struct ref_store *files_ref_store_create(struct repository *repo,
 
 	get_common_dir_noenv(&sb, gitdir);
 	refs->gitcommondir = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
-	strbuf_addf(&sb, "%s/packed-refs", refs->gitcommondir);
-	refs->packed_ref_store = packed_ref_store_create(repo, sb.buf, flags);
-	strbuf_release(&sb);
+	refs->packed_ref_store =
+		packed_ref_store_create(repo, refs->gitcommondir, flags);
 
 	chdir_notify_reparent("files-backend $GIT_DIR", &refs->base.gitdir);
 	chdir_notify_reparent("files-backend $GIT_COMMONDIR",
diff --git a/refs/packed-backend.c b/refs/packed-backend.c
index 67152c664e..caa1957252 100644
--- a/refs/packed-backend.c
+++ b/refs/packed-backend.c
@@ -194,20 +194,21 @@ static int release_snapshot(struct snapshot *snapshot)
 }
 
 struct ref_store *packed_ref_store_create(struct repository *repo,
-					  const char *path,
+					  const char *gitdir,
 					  unsigned int store_flags)
 {
 	struct packed_ref_store *refs = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*refs));
 	struct ref_store *ref_store = (struct ref_store *)refs;
+	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	base_ref_store_init(ref_store, &refs_be_packed);
 	ref_store->repo = repo;
-	ref_store->gitdir = xstrdup(path);
+	ref_store->gitdir = xstrdup(gitdir);
 	refs->store_flags = store_flags;
+	strbuf_addf(&sb, "%s/packed-refs", gitdir);
+	refs->path = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
 
-	refs->path = xstrdup(path);
 	chdir_notify_reparent("packed-refs", &refs->path);
-
 	return ref_store;
 }
 
diff --git a/refs/packed-backend.h b/refs/packed-backend.h
index f61a73ec25..9dd8a344c3 100644
--- a/refs/packed-backend.h
+++ b/refs/packed-backend.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ struct ref_transaction;
  */
 
 struct ref_store *packed_ref_store_create(struct repository *repo,
-					  const char *path,
+					  const char *gitdir,
 					  unsigned int store_flags);
 
 /*