diff --git a/lockfile.c b/lockfile.c
index d74de8d329..f4ce79bc27 100644
--- a/lockfile.c
+++ b/lockfile.c
@@ -219,13 +219,13 @@ int hold_lock_file_for_append(struct lock_file *lk, const char *path, int flags)
 		if (errno != ENOENT) {
 			if (flags & LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR)
 				die("cannot open '%s' for copying", path);
-			close(fd);
+			rollback_lock_file(lk);
 			return error("cannot open '%s' for copying", path);
 		}
 	} else if (copy_fd(orig_fd, fd)) {
 		if (flags & LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR)
 			exit(128);
-		close(fd);
+		rollback_lock_file(lk);
 		return -1;
 	}
 	return fd;