diff --git a/builtin/am.c b/builtin/am.c
index 9fb42fdd71..de235cf11a 100644
--- a/builtin/am.c
+++ b/builtin/am.c
@@ -1939,6 +1939,7 @@ next:
 	 */
 	if (!state->rebasing) {
 		am_destroy(state);
+		close_all_packs();
 		run_command_v_opt(argv_gc_auto, RUN_GIT_CMD);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/builtin/fetch.c b/builtin/fetch.c
index 33f04c1b4a..8e742135f0 100644
--- a/builtin/fetch.c
+++ b/builtin/fetch.c
@@ -1225,6 +1225,8 @@ int cmd_fetch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	list.strdup_strings = 1;
 	string_list_clear(&list, 0);
 
+	close_all_packs();
+
 	argv_array_pushl(&argv_gc_auto, "gc", "--auto", NULL);
 	if (verbosity < 0)
 		argv_array_push(&argv_gc_auto, "--quiet");
diff --git a/builtin/merge.c b/builtin/merge.c
index 15bf95b3ac..b98a3489bf 100644
--- a/builtin/merge.c
+++ b/builtin/merge.c
@@ -404,6 +404,7 @@ static void finish(struct commit *head_commit,
 			 * We ignore errors in 'gc --auto', since the
 			 * user should see them.
 			 */
+			close_all_packs();
 			run_command_v_opt(argv_gc_auto, RUN_GIT_CMD);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/builtin/receive-pack.c b/builtin/receive-pack.c
index 2b3b746fb4..f2d6761af6 100644
--- a/builtin/receive-pack.c
+++ b/builtin/receive-pack.c
@@ -1796,6 +1796,7 @@ int cmd_receive_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 				"gc", "--auto", "--quiet", NULL,
 			};
 			int opt = RUN_GIT_CMD | RUN_COMMAND_STDOUT_TO_STDERR;
+			close_all_packs();
 			run_command_v_opt(argv_gc_auto, opt);
 		}
 		if (auto_update_server_info)
diff --git a/t/t5510-fetch.sh b/t/t5510-fetch.sh
index 47e68a597c..9203a6507f 100755
--- a/t/t5510-fetch.sh
+++ b/t/t5510-fetch.sh
@@ -708,4 +708,17 @@ test_expect_success 'fetching a one-level ref works' '
 	)
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'fetching with auto-gc does not lock up' '
+	write_script askyesno <<-\EOF &&
+	echo "$*" &&
+	false
+	EOF
+	git clone "file://$D" auto-gc &&
+	test_commit test2 &&
+	cd auto-gc &&
+	git config gc.autoPackLimit 1 &&
+	GIT_ASK_YESNO="$D/askyesno" git fetch >fetch.out 2>&1 &&
+	! grep "Should I try again" fetch.out
+'
+
 test_done