diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index a783513435..7f9949352b 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -2546,7 +2546,7 @@ static int write_ref_to_lockfile(struct ref_lock *lock,
 				 const unsigned char *sha1, struct strbuf *err);
 static int commit_ref_update(struct ref_lock *lock,
 			     const unsigned char *sha1, const char *logmsg,
-			     int flags, struct strbuf *err);
+			     struct strbuf *err);
 
 int rename_ref(const char *oldrefname, const char *newrefname, const char *logmsg)
 {
@@ -2622,7 +2622,7 @@ int rename_ref(const char *oldrefname, const char *newrefname, const char *logms
 	hashcpy(lock->old_oid.hash, orig_sha1);
 
 	if (write_ref_to_lockfile(lock, orig_sha1, &err) ||
-	    commit_ref_update(lock, orig_sha1, logmsg, 0, &err)) {
+	    commit_ref_update(lock, orig_sha1, logmsg, &err)) {
 		error("unable to write current sha1 into %s: %s", newrefname, err.buf);
 		strbuf_release(&err);
 		goto rollback;
@@ -2642,7 +2642,7 @@ int rename_ref(const char *oldrefname, const char *newrefname, const char *logms
 	flag = log_all_ref_updates;
 	log_all_ref_updates = 0;
 	if (write_ref_to_lockfile(lock, orig_sha1, &err) ||
-	    commit_ref_update(lock, orig_sha1, NULL, 0, &err)) {
+	    commit_ref_update(lock, orig_sha1, NULL, &err)) {
 		error("unable to write current sha1 into %s: %s", oldrefname, err.buf);
 		strbuf_release(&err);
 	}
@@ -2880,12 +2880,12 @@ static int write_ref_to_lockfile(struct ref_lock *lock,
  */
 static int commit_ref_update(struct ref_lock *lock,
 			     const unsigned char *sha1, const char *logmsg,
-			     int flags, struct strbuf *err)
+			     struct strbuf *err)
 {
 	clear_loose_ref_cache(&ref_cache);
-	if (log_ref_write(lock->ref_name, lock->old_oid.hash, sha1, logmsg, flags, err) < 0 ||
+	if (log_ref_write(lock->ref_name, lock->old_oid.hash, sha1, logmsg, 0, err) < 0 ||
 	    (strcmp(lock->ref_name, lock->orig_ref_name) &&
-	     log_ref_write(lock->orig_ref_name, lock->old_oid.hash, sha1, logmsg, flags, err) < 0)) {
+	     log_ref_write(lock->orig_ref_name, lock->old_oid.hash, sha1, logmsg, 0, err) < 0)) {
 		char *old_msg = strbuf_detach(err, NULL);
 		strbuf_addf(err, "cannot update the ref '%s': %s",
 			    lock->ref_name, old_msg);
@@ -2921,7 +2921,7 @@ static int commit_ref_update(struct ref_lock *lock,
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if (!(flags & REF_LOG_ONLY) && commit_ref(lock)) {
+	if (commit_ref(lock)) {
 		strbuf_addf(err, "couldn't set '%s'", lock->ref_name);
 		unlock_ref(lock);
 		return -1;