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 8cd8ee152..f992a3340 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
@@ -1173,16 +1173,7 @@ public int compare(PackExt o1, PackExt o2) {
 			// rename the temporary files to real files
 			File realPack = nameFor(id, ".pack"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 
-			// if the packfile already exists (because we are rewriting a
-			// packfile for the same set of objects maybe with different
-			// PackConfig) then make sure we get rid of all handles on the file.
-			// Windows will not allow for rename otherwise.
-			if (realPack.exists())
-				for (PackFile p : repo.getObjectDatabase().getPacks())
-					if (realPack.getPath().equals(p.getPackFile().getPath())) {
-						p.close();
-						break;
-					}
+			repo.getObjectDatabase().closeAllPackHandles(realPack);
 			tmpPack.setReadOnly();
 
 			FileUtils.rename(tmpPack, realPack, StandardCopyOption.ATOMIC_MOVE);
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/ObjectDirectory.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/ObjectDirectory.java
index 9629e36fa..7d351704d 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/ObjectDirectory.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/ObjectDirectory.java
@@ -969,6 +969,21 @@ private Set<String> listPackDirectory() {
 		return nameSet;
 	}
 
+	void closeAllPackHandles(File packFile) {
+		// if the packfile already exists (because we are rewriting a
+		// packfile for the same set of objects maybe with different
+		// PackConfig) then make sure we get rid of all handles on the file.
+		// Windows will not allow for rename otherwise.
+		if (packFile.exists()) {
+			for (PackFile p : getPacks()) {
+				if (packFile.getPath().equals(p.getPackFile().getPath())) {
+					p.close();
+					break;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	AlternateHandle[] myAlternates() {
 		AlternateHandle[] alt = alternates.get();
 		if (alt == null) {