diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/GC.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/GC.java
index 9ffff9f66..40c075ec5 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/GC.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/GC.java
@@ -344,10 +344,10 @@ private void deleteOldPacks(Collection<Pack> oldPacks,
 					&& repo.getFS()
 							.lastModifiedInstant(oldPack.getPackFile())
 							.toEpochMilli() < packExpireDate) {
-				oldPack.close();
 				if (shouldLoosen) {
 					loosen(inserter, reader, oldPack, ids);
 				}
+				oldPack.close();
 				prunePack(oldPack.getPackFile());
 			}
 		}