diff --git a/lockfile.c b/lockfile.c
index 5f5bcfffbe..56ad7e8a6e 100644
--- a/lockfile.c
+++ b/lockfile.c
@@ -76,32 +76,28 @@ static void remove_lock_file_on_signal(int signo)
 }
 
 /*
- * p = absolute or relative path name
+ * path = absolute or relative path name
  *
- * Return a pointer into p showing the beginning of the last path name
- * element.  If p is empty or the root directory ("/"), just return p.
+ * Remove the last path name element from path (leaving the preceding
+ * "/", if any).  If path is empty or the root directory ("/"), set
+ * path to the empty string.
  */
-static char *last_path_elm(char *p)
+static void trim_last_path_component(struct strbuf *path)
 {
-	/* r starts pointing to null at the end of the string */
-	char *r = strchr(p, '\0');
-
-	if (r == p)
-		return p; /* just return empty string */
-
-	r--; /* back up to last non-null character */
+	int i = path->len;
 
 	/* back up past trailing slashes, if any */
-	while (r > p && *r == '/')
-		r--;
+	while (i && path->buf[i - 1] == '/')
+		i--;
 
 	/*
-	 * then go backwards until I hit a slash, or the beginning of
-	 * the string
+	 * then go backwards until a slash, or the beginning of the
+	 * string
 	 */
-	while (r > p && *(r-1) != '/')
-		r--;
-	return r;
+	while (i && path->buf[i - 1] != '/')
+		i--;
+
+	strbuf_setlen(path, i);
 }
 
 
@@ -131,14 +127,12 @@ static void resolve_symlink(struct strbuf *path)
 		if (is_absolute_path(link.buf))
 			/* absolute path simply replaces p */
 			strbuf_reset(path);
-		else {
+		else
 			/*
 			 * link is a relative path, so replace the
 			 * last element of p with it.
 			 */
-			char *r = last_path_elm(path->buf);
-			strbuf_setlen(path, r - path->buf);
-		}
+			trim_last_path_component(path);
 
 		strbuf_addbuf(path, &link);
 	}