diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index 326f022421..e73458e257 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -917,8 +917,7 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_oid_basic(struct files_ref_store *refs,
 					   const struct object_id *old_oid,
 					   const struct string_list *extras,
 					   const struct string_list *skip,
-					   unsigned int flags, int *type,
-					   struct strbuf *err)
+					   int *type, struct strbuf *err)
 {
 	struct strbuf ref_file = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct ref_lock *lock;
@@ -1413,8 +1412,9 @@ static int files_copy_or_rename_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 
 	logmoved = log;
 
+
 	lock = lock_ref_oid_basic(refs, newrefname, NULL, NULL, NULL,
-				  REF_NO_DEREF, NULL, &err);
+				  NULL, &err);
 	if (!lock) {
 		if (copy)
 			error("unable to copy '%s' to '%s': %s", oldrefname, newrefname, err.buf);
@@ -1437,7 +1437,7 @@ static int files_copy_or_rename_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 
  rollback:
 	lock = lock_ref_oid_basic(refs, oldrefname, NULL, NULL, NULL,
-				  REF_NO_DEREF, NULL, &err);
+				  NULL, &err);
 	if (!lock) {
 		error("unable to lock %s for rollback: %s", oldrefname, err.buf);
 		strbuf_release(&err);
@@ -1845,7 +1845,7 @@ static int files_create_symref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 	int ret;
 
 	lock = lock_ref_oid_basic(refs, refname, NULL,
-				  NULL, NULL, REF_NO_DEREF, NULL,
+				  NULL, NULL, NULL,
 				  &err);
 	if (!lock) {
 		error("%s", err.buf);
@@ -3064,8 +3064,7 @@ static int files_reflog_expire(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 	 * reference if --updateref was specified:
 	 */
 	lock = lock_ref_oid_basic(refs, refname, oid,
-				  NULL, NULL, REF_NO_DEREF,
-				  &type, &err);
+				  NULL, NULL, &type, &err);
 	if (!lock) {
 		error("cannot lock ref '%s': %s", refname, err.buf);
 		strbuf_release(&err);