diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/resources/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.properties b/org.eclipse.jgit/resources/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.properties
index 10f5339ae..602861859 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/resources/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.properties
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/resources/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.properties
@@ -394,6 +394,7 @@ packfileCorruptionDetected=Packfile corruption detected: {0}
 packFileInvalid=Pack file invalid: {0}
 packfileIsTruncated=Packfile {0} is truncated.
 packfileIsTruncatedNoParam=Packfile is truncated.
+packHandleIsStale=Pack file {0} handle is stale, removing it from pack list
 packHasUnresolvedDeltas=pack has unresolved deltas
 packingCancelledDuringObjectsWriting=Packing cancelled during objects writing
 packObjectCountMismatch=Pack object count mismatch: pack {0} index {1}: {2}
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.java
index 2448bf896..3077e18c1 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/JGitText.java
@@ -453,6 +453,7 @@ public static JGitText get() {
 	/***/ public String packFileInvalid;
 	/***/ public String packfileIsTruncated;
 	/***/ public String packfileIsTruncatedNoParam;
+	/***/ public String packHandleIsStale;
 	/***/ public String packHasUnresolvedDeltas;
 	/***/ public String packingCancelledDuringObjectsWriting;
 	/***/ public String packObjectCountMismatch;
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 9001dc349..796109aee 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
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ public class ObjectDirectory extends FileObjectDatabase {
 	/** Maximum number of candidates offered as resolutions of abbreviation. */
 	private static final int RESOLVE_ABBREV_LIMIT = 256;
 
+	private static final String STALE_FILE_HANDLE_MSG = "stale file handle"; //$NON-NLS-1$
+
 	private final Config config;
 
 	private final File objects;
@@ -563,6 +565,10 @@ private void handlePackError(IOException e, PackFile p) {
 		} else if (e instanceof FileNotFoundException) {
 			warnTmpl = JGitText.get().packWasDeleted;
 			removePack(p);
+		} else if (e.getMessage() != null
+				&& e.getMessage().toLowerCase().contains(STALE_FILE_HANDLE_MSG)) {
+			warnTmpl = JGitText.get().packHandleIsStale;
+			removePack(p);
 		}
 		if (warnTmpl != null) {
 			if (LOG.isDebugEnabled()) {