diff --git a/builtin/gc.c b/builtin/gc.c
index e6b84475ae..5e779662f2 100644
--- a/builtin/gc.c
+++ b/builtin/gc.c
@@ -473,8 +473,10 @@ int cmd_gc(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 	report_garbage = report_pack_garbage;
 	reprepare_packed_git();
-	if (pack_garbage.nr > 0)
+	if (pack_garbage.nr > 0) {
+		close_all_packs();
 		clean_pack_garbage();
+	}
 
 	if (auto_gc && too_many_loose_objects())
 		warning(_("There are too many unreachable loose objects; "
diff --git a/builtin/repack.c b/builtin/repack.c
index f17a68a17d..af2e99ce58 100644
--- a/builtin/repack.c
+++ b/builtin/repack.c
@@ -304,6 +304,8 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (!names.nr && !quiet)
 		printf("Nothing new to pack.\n");
 
+	close_all_packs();
+
 	/*
 	 * Ok we have prepared all new packfiles.
 	 * First see if there are packs of the same name and if so