diff --git a/builtin/gc.c b/builtin/gc.c
index bf1f2a621a..3c874b248b 100644
--- a/builtin/gc.c
+++ b/builtin/gc.c
@@ -206,6 +206,16 @@ struct maintenance_run_opts {
 	enum schedule_priority schedule;
 };
 
+static int pack_refs_condition(void)
+{
+	/*
+	 * The auto-repacking logic for refs is handled by the ref backends and
+	 * exposed via `git pack-refs --auto`. We thus always return truish
+	 * here and let the backend decide for us.
+	 */
+	return 1;
+}
+
 static int maintenance_task_pack_refs(MAYBE_UNUSED struct maintenance_run_opts *opts)
 {
 	struct child_process cmd = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
@@ -1298,7 +1308,7 @@ static struct maintenance_task tasks[] = {
 	[TASK_PACK_REFS] = {
 		"pack-refs",
 		maintenance_task_pack_refs,
-		NULL,
+		pack_refs_condition,
 	},
 };
 
diff --git a/t/t0601-reffiles-pack-refs.sh b/t/t0601-reffiles-pack-refs.sh
index 219a495451..7d4ab0b91a 100755
--- a/t/t0601-reffiles-pack-refs.sh
+++ b/t/t0601-reffiles-pack-refs.sh
@@ -370,4 +370,14 @@ test_expect_success 'pack-refs does not drop broken refs during deletion' '
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'maintenance --auto unconditionally packs loose refs' '
+	git update-ref refs/heads/something HEAD &&
+	test_path_is_file .git/refs/heads/something &&
+	git rev-parse refs/heads/something >expect &&
+	git maintenance run --task=pack-refs --auto &&
+	test_path_is_missing .git/refs/heads/something &&
+	git rev-parse refs/heads/something >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t0610-reftable-basics.sh b/t/t0610-reftable-basics.sh
index b37d8bf3b1..931d888bbb 100755
--- a/t/t0610-reftable-basics.sh
+++ b/t/t0610-reftable-basics.sh
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ test_expect_success 'pack-refs: compaction raises locking errors' '
 	test_cmp expect err
 '
 
-for command in pack-refs gc
+for command in pack-refs gc "maintenance run --task=pack-refs"
 do
 test_expect_success "$command: auto compaction" '
 	test_when_finished "rm -rf repo" &&