diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index 9fb405d..2f45968 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -352,6 +352,7 @@ static const char *prepare_index(const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 	struct pathspec pathspec;
 	int refresh_flags = REFRESH_QUIET;
 	const char *ret;
+	char *path = NULL;
 
 	if (is_status)
 		refresh_flags |= REFRESH_UNMERGED;
@@ -524,9 +525,9 @@ static const char *prepare_index(const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 	if (write_locked_index(the_repository->index, &index_lock, 0))
 		die(_("unable to write new index file"));
 
-	hold_lock_file_for_update(&false_lock,
-				  git_path("next-index-%"PRIuMAX,
-					   (uintmax_t) getpid()),
+	path = repo_git_path(the_repository, "next-index-%"PRIuMAX,
+			     (uintmax_t) getpid());
+	hold_lock_file_for_update(&false_lock, path,
 				  LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR);
 
 	create_base_index(current_head);
@@ -542,6 +543,7 @@ static const char *prepare_index(const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 out:
 	string_list_clear(&partial, 0);
 	clear_pathspec(&pathspec);
+	free(path);
 	return ret;
 }