diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index c73ffd1..0af6ee4 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -1363,6 +1363,35 @@ static int commit_ref_update(struct files_ref_store *refs,
 			     const struct object_id *oid, const char *logmsg,
 			     struct strbuf *err);
 
+/*
+ * Check whether an attempt to rename old_refname to new_refname would
+ * cause a D/F conflict with any existing reference (other than
+ * possibly old_refname). If there would be a conflict, emit an error
+ * message and return false; otherwise, return true.
+ *
+ * Note that this function is not safe against all races with other
+ * processes (though rename_ref() catches some races that might get by
+ * this check).
+ */
+static int refs_rename_ref_available(struct ref_store *refs,
+			      const char *old_refname,
+			      const char *new_refname)
+{
+	struct string_list skip = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
+	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
+	int ok;
+
+	string_list_insert(&skip, old_refname);
+	ok = !refs_verify_refname_available(refs, new_refname,
+					    NULL, &skip, &err);
+	if (!ok)
+		error("%s", err.buf);
+
+	string_list_clear(&skip, 0);
+	strbuf_release(&err);
+	return ok;
+}
+
 static int files_copy_or_rename_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 			    const char *oldrefname, const char *newrefname,
 			    const char *logmsg, int copy)