diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/BatchRefUpdateTest.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/BatchRefUpdateTest.java
index 5a40907..ead9a5d 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/BatchRefUpdateTest.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/BatchRefUpdateTest.java
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@
 import static org.eclipse.jgit.transport.ReceiveCommand.Type.UPDATE;
 import static org.eclipse.jgit.transport.ReceiveCommand.Type.UPDATE_NONFASTFORWARD;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@
 import org.junit.runners.Parameterized.Parameter;
 import org.junit.runners.Parameterized.Parameters;
 
+@SuppressWarnings("boxing")
 @RunWith(Parameterized.class)
 public class BatchRefUpdateTest extends LocalDiskRepositoryTestCase {
 	@Parameter
@@ -125,6 +127,7 @@
 		cfg.save();
 
 		refdir = (RefDirectory) diskRepo.getRefDatabase();
+		refdir.setRetrySleepMs(Arrays.asList(0, 0));
 
 		repo = new TestRepository<>(diskRepo);
 		A = repo.commit().create();
@@ -584,6 +587,85 @@
 				getLastReflog("refs/heads/branch"));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void packedRefsLockFailure() throws Exception {
+		writeLooseRef("refs/heads/master", A);
+
+		List<ReceiveCommand> cmds = Arrays.asList(
+				new ReceiveCommand(A, B, "refs/heads/master", UPDATE),
+				new ReceiveCommand(zeroId(), B, "refs/heads/branch", CREATE));
+
+		LockFile myLock = refdir.lockPackedRefs();
+		try {
+			execute(newBatchUpdate(cmds).setAllowNonFastForwards(true));
+
+			assertFalse(getLockFile("refs/heads/master").exists());
+			assertFalse(getLockFile("refs/heads/branch").exists());
+
+			if (atomic) {
+				assertResults(cmds, LOCK_FAILURE, TRANSACTION_ABORTED);
+				assertRefs("refs/heads/master", A);
+			} else {
+				// Only operates on loose refs, doesn't care that packed-refs is locked.
+				assertResults(cmds, OK, OK);
+				assertRefs(
+						"refs/heads/master", B,
+						"refs/heads/branch", B);
+			}
+		} finally {
+			myLock.unlock();
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void oneRefLockFailure() throws Exception {
+		writeLooseRef("refs/heads/master", A);
+
+		List<ReceiveCommand> cmds = Arrays.asList(
+				new ReceiveCommand(zeroId(), B, "refs/heads/branch", CREATE),
+				new ReceiveCommand(A, B, "refs/heads/master", UPDATE));
+
+		LockFile myLock = new LockFile(refdir.fileFor("refs/heads/master"));
+		assertTrue(myLock.lock());
+		try {
+			execute(newBatchUpdate(cmds).setAllowNonFastForwards(true));
+
+			assertFalse(LockFile.getLockFile(refdir.packedRefsFile).exists());
+			assertFalse(getLockFile("refs/heads/branch").exists());
+
+			if (atomic) {
+				assertResults(cmds, TRANSACTION_ABORTED, LOCK_FAILURE);
+				assertRefs("refs/heads/master", A);
+			} else {
+				assertResults(cmds, OK, LOCK_FAILURE);
+				assertRefs(
+						"refs/heads/branch", B,
+						"refs/heads/master", A);
+			}
+		} finally {
+			myLock.unlock();
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void singleRefUpdateDoesNotRequirePackedRefsLock() throws Exception {
+		writeLooseRef("refs/heads/master", A);
+
+		List<ReceiveCommand> cmds = Arrays.asList(
+				new ReceiveCommand(A, B, "refs/heads/master", UPDATE));
+
+		LockFile myLock = refdir.lockPackedRefs();
+		try {
+			execute(newBatchUpdate(cmds).setAllowNonFastForwards(true));
+
+			assertFalse(getLockFile("refs/heads/master").exists());
+			assertResults(cmds, OK);
+			assertRefs("refs/heads/master", B);
+		} finally {
+			myLock.unlock();
+		}
+	}
+
 	private void writeLooseRef(String name, AnyObjectId id) throws IOException {
 		write(new File(diskRepo.getDirectory(), name), id.name() + "\n");
 	}
@@ -712,6 +794,10 @@
 		return r.getLastEntry();
 	}
 
+	private File getLockFile(String refName) {
+		return LockFile.getLockFile(refdir.fileFor(refName));
+	}
+
 	private void assertReflogUnchanged(
 			Map<String, ReflogEntry> old, String name) throws IOException {
 		assertReflogEquals(old.get(name), getLastReflog(name), true);
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectoryTest.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectoryTest.java
index 145fed6..fefccf3 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectoryTest.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectoryTest.java
@@ -60,10 +60,12 @@
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 
+import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.LockFailedException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.events.ListenerHandle;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.events.RefsChangedEvent;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.events.RefsChangedListener;
@@ -79,6 +81,7 @@
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
+@SuppressWarnings("boxing")
 public class RefDirectoryTest extends LocalDiskRepositoryTestCase {
 	private Repository diskRepo;
 
@@ -1284,6 +1287,23 @@
 		assertEquals(1, changeCount.get());
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testPackedRefsLockFailure() throws Exception {
+		writeLooseRef("refs/heads/master", A);
+		refdir.setRetrySleepMs(Arrays.asList(0, 0));
+		LockFile myLock = refdir.lockPackedRefs();
+		try {
+			refdir.pack(Arrays.asList("refs/heads/master"));
+			fail("expected LockFailedException");
+		} catch (LockFailedException e) {
+			assertEquals(refdir.packedRefsFile.getPath(), e.getFile().getPath());
+		} finally {
+			myLock.unlock();
+		}
+		Ref ref = refdir.getRef("refs/heads/master");
+		assertEquals(Storage.LOOSE, ref.getStorage());
+	}
+
 	private void writeLooseRef(String name, AnyObjectId id) throws IOException {
 		writeLooseRef(name, id.name() + "\n");
 	}
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/PackedBatchRefUpdate.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/PackedBatchRefUpdate.java
index 06c31f2..e71977d 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/PackedBatchRefUpdate.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/PackedBatchRefUpdate.java
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 import static org.eclipse.jgit.transport.ReceiveCommand.Result.REJECTED_NONFASTFORWARD;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.text.MessageFormat;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
@@ -57,7 +58,10 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 
+import org.eclipse.jgit.annotations.Nullable;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.LockFailedException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.MissingObjectException;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.internal.JGitText;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.internal.storage.file.RefDirectory.PackedRefList;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.BatchRefUpdate;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
@@ -164,12 +168,18 @@
 
 		// Pack refs normally, so we can create lock files even in the case where
 		// refs/x is deleted and refs/x/y is created in this batch.
-		refdb.pack(
-				pending.stream().map(ReceiveCommand::getRefName).collect(toList()));
-
-		Map<String, LockFile> locks = new HashMap<>();
 		try {
-			if (!lockLooseRefs(pending, locks)) {
+			refdb.pack(
+					pending.stream().map(ReceiveCommand::getRefName).collect(toList()));
+		} catch (LockFailedException e) {
+			lockFailure(pending.get(0), pending);
+			return;
+		}
+
+		Map<String, LockFile> locks = null;
+		try {
+			locks = lockLooseRefs(pending);
+			if (locks == null) {
 				return;
 			}
 			PackedRefList oldPackedList = refdb.pack(locks);
@@ -177,15 +187,15 @@
 			if (newRefs == null) {
 				return;
 			}
-			LockFile packedRefsLock = new LockFile(refdb.packedRefsFile);
-			try {
-				packedRefsLock.lock();
-				refdb.commitPackedRefs(packedRefsLock, newRefs, oldPackedList);
-			} finally {
-				packedRefsLock.unlock();
+			LockFile packedRefsLock = refdb.lockPackedRefs();
+			if (packedRefsLock == null) {
+				lockFailure(pending.get(0), pending);
+				return;
 			}
+			// commitPackedRefs removes lock file (by renaming over real file).
+			refdb.commitPackedRefs(packedRefsLock, newRefs, oldPackedList);
 		} finally {
-			locks.values().forEach(LockFile::unlock);
+			unlockAll(locks);
 		}
 
 		refdb.fireRefsChanged();
@@ -271,17 +281,54 @@
 		return true;
 	}
 
-	private boolean lockLooseRefs(List<ReceiveCommand> commands,
-			Map<String, LockFile> locks) throws IOException {
-		for (ReceiveCommand c : commands) {
-			LockFile lock = new LockFile(refdb.fileFor(c.getRefName()));
-			if (!lock.lock()) {
-				lockFailure(c, commands);
-				return false;
+	/**
+	 * Lock loose refs corresponding to a list of commands.
+	 *
+	 * @param commands
+	 *            commands that we intend to execute.
+	 * @return map of ref name in the input commands to lock file. Always contains
+	 *         one entry for each ref in the input list. All locks are acquired
+	 *         before returning. If any lock was not able to be acquired: the
+	 *         return value is null; no locks are held; and all commands that were
+	 *         pending are set to fail with {@code LOCK_FAILURE}.
+	 * @throws IOException
+	 *             an error occurred other than a failure to acquire; no locks are
+	 *             held if this exception is thrown.
+	 */
+	@Nullable
+	private Map<String, LockFile> lockLooseRefs(List<ReceiveCommand> commands)
+			throws IOException {
+		ReceiveCommand failed = null;
+		Map<String, LockFile> locks = new HashMap<>();
+		try {
+			RETRY: for (int ms : refdb.getRetrySleepMs()) {
+				failed = null;
+				// Release all locks before trying again, to prevent deadlock.
+				unlockAll(locks);
+				locks.clear();
+				RefDirectory.sleep(ms);
+
+				for (ReceiveCommand c : commands) {
+					String name = c.getRefName();
+					LockFile lock = new LockFile(refdb.fileFor(name));
+					if (locks.put(name, lock) != null) {
+						throw new IOException(
+								MessageFormat.format(JGitText.get().duplicateRef, name));
+					}
+					if (!lock.lock()) {
+						failed = c;
+						continue RETRY;
+					}
+				}
+				Map<String, LockFile> result = locks;
+				locks = null;
+				return result;
 			}
-			locks.put(c.getRefName(), lock);
+		} finally {
+			unlockAll(locks);
 		}
-		return true;
+		lockFailure(failed != null ? failed : commands.get(0), commands);
+		return null;
 	}
 
 	private static RefList<Ref> applyUpdates(RevWalk walk, RefList<Ref> refs,
@@ -444,6 +491,12 @@
 				Ref.Storage.PACKED, cmd.getRefName(), newId);
 	}
 
+	private static void unlockAll(@Nullable Map<?, LockFile> locks) {
+		if (locks != null) {
+			locks.values().forEach(LockFile::unlock);
+		}
+	}
+
 	private static void lockFailure(ReceiveCommand cmd,
 			List<ReceiveCommand> commands) {
 		reject(cmd, LOCK_FAILURE, commands);
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectory.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectory.java
index eb56974..20944ad 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectory.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectory.java
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@
 import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStreamReader;
+import java.io.InterruptedIOException;
 import java.security.DigestInputStream;
 import java.security.MessageDigest;
 import java.text.MessageFormat;
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 
 import org.eclipse.jgit.annotations.NonNull;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.annotations.Nullable;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.InvalidObjectIdException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.LockFailedException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.MissingObjectException;
@@ -137,6 +139,10 @@
 			Constants.MERGE_HEAD, Constants.FETCH_HEAD, Constants.ORIG_HEAD,
 			Constants.CHERRY_PICK_HEAD };
 
+	@SuppressWarnings("boxing")
+	private static final List<Integer> RETRY_SLEEP_MS =
+			Collections.unmodifiableList(Arrays.asList(0, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600));
+
 	private final FileRepository parent;
 
 	private final File gitDir;
@@ -176,6 +182,8 @@
 	 */
 	private final AtomicInteger lastNotifiedModCnt = new AtomicInteger();
 
+	private List<Integer> retrySleepMs = RETRY_SLEEP_MS;
+
 	RefDirectory(final FileRepository db) {
 		final FS fs = db.getFS();
 		parent = db;
@@ -602,9 +610,7 @@
 		// we don't miss an edit made externally.
 		final PackedRefList packed = getPackedRefs();
 		if (packed.contains(name)) {
-			LockFile lck = new LockFile(packedRefsFile);
-			if (!lck.lock())
-				throw new LockFailedException(packedRefsFile);
+			LockFile lck = lockPackedRefsOrThrow();
 			try {
 				PackedRefList cur = readPackedRefs();
 				int idx = cur.find(name);
@@ -665,11 +671,7 @@
 		FS fs = parent.getFS();
 
 		// Lock the packed refs file and read the content
-		LockFile lck = new LockFile(packedRefsFile);
-		if (!lck.lock()) {
-			throw new IOException(MessageFormat.format(
-					JGitText.get().cannotLock, packedRefsFile));
-		}
+		LockFile lck = lockPackedRefsOrThrow();
 
 		try {
 			final PackedRefList packed = getPackedRefs();
@@ -765,6 +767,26 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	@Nullable
+	LockFile lockPackedRefs() throws IOException {
+		LockFile lck = new LockFile(packedRefsFile);
+		for (int ms : getRetrySleepMs()) {
+			sleep(ms);
+			if (lck.lock()) {
+				return lck;
+			}
+		}
+		return null;
+	}
+
+	private LockFile lockPackedRefsOrThrow() throws IOException {
+		LockFile lck = lockPackedRefs();
+		if (lck == null) {
+			throw new LockFailedException(packedRefsFile);
+		}
+		return lck;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Make sure a ref is peeled and has the Storage PACKED. If the given ref
 	 * has this attributes simply return it. Otherwise create a new peeled
@@ -1175,6 +1197,63 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Get times to sleep while retrying a possibly contentious operation.
+	 * <p>
+	 * For retrying an operation that might have high contention, such as locking
+	 * the {@code packed-refs} file, the caller may implement a retry loop using
+	 * the returned values:
+	 *
+	 * <pre>
+	 * for (int toSleepMs : getRetrySleepMs()) {
+	 *   sleep(toSleepMs);
+	 *   if (isSuccessful(doSomething())) {
+	 *     return success;
+	 *   }
+	 * }
+	 * return failure;
+	 * </pre>
+	 *
+	 * The first value in the returned iterable is 0, and the caller should treat
+	 * a fully-consumed iterator as a timeout.
+	 *
+	 * @return iterable of times, in milliseconds, that the caller should sleep
+	 *         before attempting an operation.
+	 */
+	Iterable<Integer> getRetrySleepMs() {
+		return retrySleepMs;
+	}
+
+	void setRetrySleepMs(List<Integer> retrySleepMs) {
+		if (retrySleepMs == null || retrySleepMs.isEmpty()
+				|| retrySleepMs.get(0).intValue() != 0) {
+			throw new IllegalArgumentException();
+		}
+		this.retrySleepMs = retrySleepMs;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Sleep with {@link Thread#sleep(long)}, converting {@link
+	 * InterruptedException} to {@link InterruptedIOException}.
+	 *
+	 * @param ms
+	 *            time to sleep, in milliseconds; zero or negative is a no-op.
+	 * @throws InterruptedIOException
+	 *             if sleeping was interrupted.
+	 */
+	static void sleep(long ms) throws InterruptedIOException {
+		if (ms <= 0) {
+			return;
+		}
+		try {
+			Thread.sleep(ms);
+		} catch (InterruptedException e) {
+			InterruptedIOException ie = new InterruptedIOException();
+			ie.initCause(e);
+			throw ie;
+		}
+	}
+
 	static class PackedRefList extends RefList<Ref> {
 
 		private final FileSnapshot snapshot;