diff --git a/builtin/branch.c b/builtin/branch.c
index 5d00d0b8d3..f875952e7b 100644
--- a/builtin/branch.c
+++ b/builtin/branch.c
@@ -253,12 +253,11 @@ static int delete_branches(int argc, const char **argv, int force, int kinds,
 		name = mkpathdup(fmt, bname.buf);
 
 		if (kinds == FILTER_REFS_BRANCHES) {
-			const struct worktree *wt =
-				find_shared_symref(worktrees, "HEAD", name);
-			if (wt) {
+			const char *path;
+			if ((path = branch_checked_out(name))) {
 				error(_("Cannot delete branch '%s' "
 					"checked out at '%s'"),
-				      bname.buf, wt->path);
+				      bname.buf, path);
 				ret = 1;
 				continue;
 			}
diff --git a/t/t2407-worktree-heads.sh b/t/t2407-worktree-heads.sh
index 1fbde05fe2..a5aec1486c 100755
--- a/t/t2407-worktree-heads.sh
+++ b/t/t2407-worktree-heads.sh
@@ -37,7 +37,10 @@ test_expect_success 'refuse to overwrite: checked out in worktree' '
 	for i in 1 2 3 4
 	do
 		test_must_fail git branch -f wt-$i HEAD 2>err
-		grep "cannot force update the branch" err || return 1
+		grep "cannot force update the branch" err &&
+
+		test_must_fail git branch -D wt-$i 2>err
+		grep "Cannot delete branch" err || return 1
 	done
 '