diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 30e505a9d3..597800a5ed 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -1049,8 +1049,15 @@ static int remove_empty_directories(const char *file)
 	return result;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Return true iff a reference named refname could be created without
+ * conflicting with the name of an existing reference.  If oldrefname
+ * is non-NULL, ignore potential conflicts with oldrefname (e.g.,
+ * because oldrefname is scheduled for deletion in the same
+ * operation).
+ */
 static int is_refname_available(const char *refname, const char *oldrefname,
-				struct ref_array *array, int quiet)
+				struct ref_array *array)
 {
 	int i, namlen = strlen(refname); /* e.g. 'foo/bar' */
 	for (i = 0; i < array->nr; i++ ) {
@@ -1062,9 +1069,8 @@ static int is_refname_available(const char *refname, const char *oldrefname,
 			const char *lead = (namlen < len) ? entry->name : refname;
 			if (!strncmp(refname, entry->name, cmplen) &&
 			    lead[cmplen] == '/') {
-				if (!quiet)
-					error("'%s' exists; cannot create '%s'",
-					      entry->name, refname);
+				error("'%s' exists; cannot create '%s'",
+				      entry->name, refname);
 				return 0;
 			}
 		}
@@ -1117,7 +1123,7 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_sha1_basic(const char *refname,
 	 * name is a proper prefix of our refname.
 	 */
 	if (missing &&
-	     !is_refname_available(refname, NULL, get_packed_refs(NULL), 0)) {
+	     !is_refname_available(refname, NULL, get_packed_refs(NULL))) {
 		last_errno = ENOTDIR;
 		goto error_return;
 	}
@@ -1272,10 +1278,10 @@ int rename_ref(const char *oldrefname, const char *newrefname, const char *logms
 	if (!symref)
 		return error("refname %s not found", oldrefname);
 
-	if (!is_refname_available(newrefname, oldrefname, get_packed_refs(NULL), 0))
+	if (!is_refname_available(newrefname, oldrefname, get_packed_refs(NULL)))
 		return 1;
 
-	if (!is_refname_available(newrefname, oldrefname, get_loose_refs(NULL), 0))
+	if (!is_refname_available(newrefname, oldrefname, get_loose_refs(NULL)))
 		return 1;
 
 	lock = lock_ref_sha1_basic(renamed_ref, NULL, 0, NULL);