diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index 69c3ecfe1b..81c92b410e 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -1887,7 +1887,8 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_sha1_basic(const char *refname,
 	const char *orig_refname = refname;
 	struct ref_lock *lock;
 	int last_errno = 0;
-	int type, lflags;
+	int type;
+	int lflags = 0;
 	int mustexist = (old_sha1 && !is_null_sha1(old_sha1));
 	int resolve_flags = 0;
 	int attempts_remaining = 3;
@@ -1898,10 +1899,11 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_sha1_basic(const char *refname,
 
 	if (mustexist)
 		resolve_flags |= RESOLVE_REF_READING;
-	if (flags & REF_DELETING) {
+	if (flags & REF_DELETING)
 		resolve_flags |= RESOLVE_REF_ALLOW_BAD_NAME;
-		if (flags & REF_NODEREF)
-			resolve_flags |= RESOLVE_REF_NO_RECURSE;
+	if (flags & REF_NODEREF) {
+		resolve_flags |= RESOLVE_REF_NO_RECURSE;
+		lflags |= LOCK_NO_DEREF;
 	}
 
 	refname = resolve_ref_unsafe(refname, resolve_flags,
@@ -1937,6 +1939,10 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_sha1_basic(const char *refname,
 
 		goto error_return;
 	}
+
+	if (flags & REF_NODEREF)
+		refname = orig_refname;
+
 	/*
 	 * If the ref did not exist and we are creating it, make sure
 	 * there is no existing packed ref whose name begins with our
@@ -1952,11 +1958,6 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_sha1_basic(const char *refname,
 
 	lock->lk = xcalloc(1, sizeof(struct lock_file));
 
-	lflags = 0;
-	if (flags & REF_NODEREF) {
-		refname = orig_refname;
-		lflags |= LOCK_NO_DEREF;
-	}
 	lock->ref_name = xstrdup(refname);
 	lock->orig_ref_name = xstrdup(orig_refname);
 	strbuf_git_path(&ref_file, "%s", refname);
diff --git a/t/t1401-symbolic-ref.sh b/t/t1401-symbolic-ref.sh
index 5db876c6a1..a713766cc2 100755
--- a/t/t1401-symbolic-ref.sh
+++ b/t/t1401-symbolic-ref.sh
@@ -122,4 +122,11 @@ test_expect_success 'symbolic-ref does not create ref d/f conflicts' '
 	test_must_fail git symbolic-ref refs/heads/df/conflict refs/heads/df
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'symbolic-ref handles existing pointer to invalid name' '
+	head=$(git rev-parse HEAD) &&
+	git symbolic-ref HEAD refs/heads/outer &&
+	git update-ref refs/heads/outer/inner $head &&
+	git symbolic-ref HEAD refs/heads/unrelated
+'
+
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t2011-checkout-invalid-head.sh b/t/t2011-checkout-invalid-head.sh
index d444d5ee41..c5501b008c 100755
--- a/t/t2011-checkout-invalid-head.sh
+++ b/t/t2011-checkout-invalid-head.sh
@@ -25,4 +25,37 @@ test_expect_success 'checkout notices failure to lock HEAD' '
 	test_must_fail git checkout -b other
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'create ref directory/file conflict scenario' '
+	git update-ref refs/heads/outer/inner master &&
+
+	# do not rely on symbolic-ref to get a known state,
+	# as it may use the same code we are testing
+	reset_to_df () {
+		echo "ref: refs/heads/outer" >.git/HEAD
+	}
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout away from d/f HEAD (unpacked, to branch)' '
+	reset_to_df &&
+	git checkout master
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout away from d/f HEAD (unpacked, to detached)' '
+	reset_to_df &&
+	git checkout --detach master
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'pack refs' '
+	git pack-refs --all --prune
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout away from d/f HEAD (packed, to branch)' '
+	reset_to_df &&
+	git checkout master
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'checkout away from d/f HEAD (packed, to detached)' '
+	reset_to_df &&
+	git checkout --detach master
+'
 test_done