diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 1a96450..9db66e9 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ int refs_delete_ref(struct ref_store *refs, const char *msg,
 	struct ref_transaction *transaction;
 	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-	transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs, 0, &err);
+	transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs, &err);
 	if (!transaction ||
 	    ref_transaction_delete(transaction, refname, old_oid,
 				   flags, msg, &err) ||
@@ -999,7 +999,6 @@ int read_ref_at(struct ref_store *refs, const char *refname,
 }
 
 struct ref_transaction *ref_store_transaction_begin(struct ref_store *refs,
-						    unsigned int flags,
 						    struct strbuf *err)
 {
 	struct ref_transaction *tr;
@@ -1007,13 +1006,12 @@ struct ref_transaction *ref_store_transaction_begin(struct ref_store *refs,
 
 	CALLOC_ARRAY(tr, 1);
 	tr->ref_store = refs;
-	tr->flags = flags;
 	return tr;
 }
 
 struct ref_transaction *ref_transaction_begin(struct strbuf *err)
 {
-	return ref_store_transaction_begin(get_main_ref_store(the_repository), 0, err);
+	return ref_store_transaction_begin(get_main_ref_store(the_repository), err);
 }
 
 void ref_transaction_free(struct ref_transaction *transaction)
@@ -1152,7 +1150,7 @@ int refs_update_ref(struct ref_store *refs, const char *msg,
 	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	t = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs, 0, &err);
+	t = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs, &err);
 	if (!t ||
 	    ref_transaction_update(t, refname, new_oid, old_oid, flags, msg,
 				   &err) ||
@@ -2074,9 +2072,6 @@ static int run_transaction_hook(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
 	const char *hook;
 	int ret = 0, i;
 
-	if (transaction->flags & REF_TRANSACTION_SKIP_HOOK)
-		return 0;
-
 	hook = find_hook("reference-transaction");
 	if (!hook)
 		return ret;
diff --git a/refs.h b/refs.h
index 23479c7..47cb9ed 100644
--- a/refs.h
+++ b/refs.h
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ char *repo_default_branch_name(struct repository *r, int quiet);
  *         struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
  *         int ret = 0;
  *
- *         transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs, 0, &err);
+ *         transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs, &err);
  *         if (!transaction ||
  *             ref_transaction_update(...) ||
  *             ref_transaction_create(...) ||
@@ -567,16 +567,10 @@ enum action_on_err {
 };
 
 /*
- * Skip executing the reference-transaction hook.
- */
-#define REF_TRANSACTION_SKIP_HOOK (1 << 0)
-
-/*
  * Begin a reference transaction.  The reference transaction must
  * be freed by calling ref_transaction_free().
  */
 struct ref_transaction *ref_store_transaction_begin(struct ref_store *refs,
-						    unsigned int flags,
 						    struct strbuf *err);
 struct ref_transaction *ref_transaction_begin(struct strbuf *err);
 
diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index 95acab7..8db7882 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -1136,8 +1136,7 @@ static void prune_ref(struct files_ref_store *refs, struct ref_to_prune *r)
 	if (check_refname_format(r->name, 0))
 		return;
 
-	transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(&refs->base,
-						  REF_TRANSACTION_SKIP_HOOK, &err);
+	transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(&refs->base, &err);
 	if (!transaction)
 		goto cleanup;
 	ref_transaction_add_update(
@@ -1208,8 +1207,7 @@ static int files_pack_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, unsigned int flags)
 	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct ref_transaction *transaction;
 
-	transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs->packed_ref_store,
-						  REF_TRANSACTION_SKIP_HOOK, &err);
+	transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs->packed_ref_store, &err);
 	if (!transaction)
 		return -1;
 
@@ -1266,7 +1264,6 @@ static int files_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *msg,
 {
 	struct files_ref_store *refs =
 		files_downcast(ref_store, REF_STORE_WRITE, "delete_refs");
-	struct ref_transaction *transaction = NULL;
 	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int i, result = 0;
 
@@ -1276,15 +1273,10 @@ static int files_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *msg,
 	if (packed_refs_lock(refs->packed_ref_store, 0, &err))
 		goto error;
 
-	transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs->packed_ref_store,
-						  REF_TRANSACTION_SKIP_HOOK, &err);
-	if (!transaction)
+	if (refs_delete_refs(refs->packed_ref_store, msg, refnames, flags)) {
+		packed_refs_unlock(refs->packed_ref_store);
 		goto error;
-
-	result = packed_refs_delete_refs(refs->packed_ref_store,
-					 transaction, msg, refnames, flags);
-	if (result)
-		goto error;
+	}
 
 	packed_refs_unlock(refs->packed_ref_store);
 
@@ -1295,7 +1287,6 @@ static int files_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *msg,
 			result |= error(_("could not remove reference %s"), refname);
 	}
 
-	ref_transaction_free(transaction);
 	strbuf_release(&err);
 	return result;
 
@@ -1312,7 +1303,6 @@ static int files_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *msg,
 	else
 		error(_("could not delete references: %s"), err.buf);
 
-	ref_transaction_free(transaction);
 	strbuf_release(&err);
 	return -1;
 }
@@ -2784,8 +2774,7 @@ static int files_transaction_prepare(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 			 */
 			if (!packed_transaction) {
 				packed_transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(
-						refs->packed_ref_store,
-						REF_TRANSACTION_SKIP_HOOK, err);
+						refs->packed_ref_store, err);
 				if (!packed_transaction) {
 					ret = TRANSACTION_GENERIC_ERROR;
 					goto cleanup;
@@ -3056,8 +3045,7 @@ static int files_initial_transaction_commit(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 				 &affected_refnames))
 		BUG("initial ref transaction called with existing refs");
 
-	packed_transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs->packed_ref_store,
-							 REF_TRANSACTION_SKIP_HOOK, err);
+	packed_transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs->packed_ref_store, err);
 	if (!packed_transaction) {
 		ret = TRANSACTION_GENERIC_ERROR;
 		goto cleanup;
diff --git a/refs/packed-backend.c b/refs/packed-backend.c
index 66c4574..97b6837 100644
--- a/refs/packed-backend.c
+++ b/refs/packed-backend.c
@@ -1522,10 +1522,15 @@ static int packed_initial_transaction_commit(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 static int packed_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *msg,
 			     struct string_list *refnames, unsigned int flags)
 {
+	struct packed_ref_store *refs =
+		packed_downcast(ref_store, REF_STORE_WRITE, "delete_refs");
 	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct ref_transaction *transaction;
+	struct string_list_item *item;
 	int ret;
 
+	(void)refs; /* We need the check above, but don't use the variable */
+
 	if (!refnames->nr)
 		return 0;
 
@@ -1535,30 +1540,10 @@ static int packed_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *msg,
 	 * updates into a single transaction.
 	 */
 
-	transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(ref_store, 0, &err);
+	transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(ref_store, &err);
 	if (!transaction)
 		return -1;
 
-	ret = packed_refs_delete_refs(ref_store, transaction,
-				      msg, refnames, flags);
-
-	ref_transaction_free(transaction);
-	return ret;
-}
-
-int packed_refs_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store,
-			    struct ref_transaction *transaction,
-			    const char *msg,
-			    struct string_list *refnames,
-			    unsigned int flags)
-{
-	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct string_list_item *item;
-	int ret;
-
-	/* Assert that the ref store refers to a packed backend. */
-	packed_downcast(ref_store, REF_STORE_WRITE, "delete_refs");
-
 	for_each_string_list_item(item, refnames) {
 		if (ref_transaction_delete(transaction, item->string, NULL,
 					   flags, msg, &err)) {
@@ -1578,6 +1563,7 @@ int packed_refs_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 			error(_("could not delete references: %s"), err.buf);
 	}
 
+	ref_transaction_free(transaction);
 	strbuf_release(&err);
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/refs/packed-backend.h b/refs/packed-backend.h
index 52e0490..9dd8a34 100644
--- a/refs/packed-backend.h
+++ b/refs/packed-backend.h
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 
 struct repository;
 struct ref_transaction;
-struct string_list;
 
 /*
  * Support for storing references in a `packed-refs` file.
@@ -28,12 +27,6 @@ int packed_refs_lock(struct ref_store *ref_store, int flags, struct strbuf *err)
 void packed_refs_unlock(struct ref_store *ref_store);
 int packed_refs_is_locked(struct ref_store *ref_store);
 
-int packed_refs_delete_refs(struct ref_store *ref_store,
-			    struct ref_transaction *transaction,
-			    const char *msg,
-			    struct string_list *refnames,
-			    unsigned int flags);
-
 /*
  * Return true if `transaction` really needs to be carried out against
  * the specified packed_ref_store, or false if it can be skipped
diff --git a/refs/refs-internal.h b/refs/refs-internal.h
index 001ef15..69f93b0 100644
--- a/refs/refs-internal.h
+++ b/refs/refs-internal.h
@@ -213,7 +213,6 @@ struct ref_transaction {
 	size_t nr;
 	enum ref_transaction_state state;
 	void *backend_data;
-	unsigned int flags;
 };
 
 /*
diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index a1bb393..a5f678f 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -3584,7 +3584,7 @@ static int do_label(struct repository *r, const char *name, int len)
 	strbuf_addf(&ref_name, "refs/rewritten/%.*s", len, name);
 	strbuf_addf(&msg, "rebase (label) '%.*s'", len, name);
 
-	transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs, 0, &err);
+	transaction = ref_store_transaction_begin(refs, &err);
 	if (!transaction) {
 		error("%s", err.buf);
 		ret = -1;
diff --git a/t/t1416-ref-transaction-hooks.sh b/t/t1416-ref-transaction-hooks.sh
index 085a7a4..2773172 100755
--- a/t/t1416-ref-transaction-hooks.sh
+++ b/t/t1416-ref-transaction-hooks.sh
@@ -133,54 +133,4 @@
 	test_cmp expect target-repo.git/actual
 '
 
-test_expect_success 'hook does not get called on packing refs' '
-	# Pack references first such that we are in a known state.
-	git pack-refs --all &&
-
-	test_hook reference-transaction <<-\EOF &&
-		echo "$@" >>actual
-		cat >>actual
-	EOF
-	rm -f actual &&
-
-	git update-ref refs/heads/unpacked-ref $POST_OID &&
-	git pack-refs --all &&
-
-	# We only expect a single hook invocation, which is the call to
-	# git-update-ref(1).
-	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
-		prepared
-		$ZERO_OID $POST_OID refs/heads/unpacked-ref
-		committed
-		$ZERO_OID $POST_OID refs/heads/unpacked-ref
-	EOF
-
-	test_cmp expect actual
-'
-
-test_expect_success 'deleting packed ref calls hook once' '
-	# Create a reference and pack it.
-	git update-ref refs/heads/to-be-deleted $POST_OID &&
-	git pack-refs --all &&
-
-	test_hook reference-transaction <<-\EOF &&
-		echo "$@" >>actual
-		cat >>actual
-	EOF
-	rm -f actual &&
-
-	git update-ref -d refs/heads/to-be-deleted $POST_OID &&
-
-	# We only expect a single hook invocation, which is the logical
-	# deletion.
-	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
-		prepared
-		$POST_OID $ZERO_OID refs/heads/to-be-deleted
-		committed
-		$POST_OID $ZERO_OID refs/heads/to-be-deleted
-	EOF
-
-	test_cmp expect actual
-'
-
 test_done