diff --git a/git-compat-util.h b/git-compat-util.h
index fb41118c07..d67592fd96 100644
--- a/git-compat-util.h
+++ b/git-compat-util.h
@@ -777,11 +777,14 @@ void git_qsort(void *base, size_t nmemb, size_t size,
 
 /*
  * Preserves errno, prints a message, but gives no warning for ENOENT.
- * Always returns the return value of unlink(2).
+ * Returns 0 on success, which includes trying to unlink an object that does
+ * not exist.
  */
 int unlink_or_warn(const char *path);
 /*
- * Likewise for rmdir(2).
+ * Preserves errno, prints a message, but gives no warning for ENOENT.
+ * Returns 0 on success, which includes trying to remove a directory that does
+ * not exist.
  */
 int rmdir_or_warn(const char *path);
 /*
diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index a77458f2f6..2dcf6c6e03 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -2607,7 +2607,7 @@ static int delete_ref_loose(struct ref_lock *lock, int flag)
 		char *loose_filename = get_locked_file_path(lock->lk);
 		int err = unlink_or_warn(loose_filename);
 		free(loose_filename);
-		if (err && errno != ENOENT)
+		if (err)
 			return 1;
 	}
 	return 0;
diff --git a/wrapper.c b/wrapper.c
index 5b77d2a1ae..8d4be66e66 100644
--- a/wrapper.c
+++ b/wrapper.c
@@ -466,14 +466,12 @@ int xmkstemp_mode(char *template, int mode)
 
 static int warn_if_unremovable(const char *op, const char *file, int rc)
 {
-	if (rc < 0) {
-		int err = errno;
-		if (ENOENT != err) {
-			warning("unable to %s %s: %s",
-				op, file, strerror(errno));
-			errno = err;
-		}
-	}
+	int err;
+	if (!rc || errno == ENOENT)
+		return 0;
+	err = errno;
+	warning("unable to %s %s: %s", op, file, strerror(errno));
+	errno = err;
 	return rc;
 }