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 796109aee..a430d1a6f 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
@@ -114,8 +114,6 @@ 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;
@@ -565,8 +563,7 @@ 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)) {
+		} else if (FileUtils.isStaleFileHandle(e)) {
 			warnTmpl = JGitText.get().packHandleIsStale;
 			removePack(p);
 		}
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/FileUtils.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/FileUtils.java
index 56eecc48d..126384b7a 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/FileUtils.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/FileUtils.java
@@ -514,4 +514,15 @@ else if (!ignoreCase
 		}
 		return builder.toString();
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Determine if an IOException is a Stale NFS File Handle
+	 *
+	 * @param ioe
+	 * @return a boolean true if the IOException is a Stale NFS FIle Handle
+	 */
+	public static boolean isStaleFileHandle(IOException ioe) {
+		String msg = ioe.getMessage();
+		return msg != null && msg.toLowerCase().matches("stale .*file .*handle");
+	}
 }