diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 8c9490235ea..5e5e3af8da0 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -1675,13 +1675,19 @@ int refs_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 		      const char *refname, struct object_id *oid,
 		      struct strbuf *referent, unsigned int *type)
 {
+	int result;
+	int failure_errno;
 	if (!strcmp(refname, "FETCH_HEAD") || !strcmp(refname, "MERGE_HEAD")) {
 		return refs_read_special_head(ref_store, refname, oid, referent,
 					      type);
 	}
 
-	return ref_store->be->read_raw_ref(ref_store, refname, oid, referent,
-					   type);
+	failure_errno = 0;
+	result = ref_store->be->read_raw_ref(ref_store, refname, oid, referent,
+					     type, &failure_errno);
+	if (failure_errno)
+		errno = failure_errno;
+	return result;
 }
 
 /* This function needs to return a meaningful errno on failure */
diff --git a/refs/debug.c b/refs/debug.c
index 7db4abccc34..f12413a9bc0 100644
--- a/refs/debug.c
+++ b/refs/debug.c
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ debug_ref_iterator_begin(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *prefix,
 
 static int debug_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *refname,
 			      struct object_id *oid, struct strbuf *referent,
-			      unsigned int *type)
+			      unsigned int *type, int *failure_errno)
 {
 	struct debug_ref_store *drefs = (struct debug_ref_store *)ref_store;
 	int res = 0;
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ static int debug_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *refname,
 	oidcpy(oid, null_oid());
 	errno = 0;
 	res = drefs->refs->be->read_raw_ref(drefs->refs, refname, oid, referent,
-					    type);
+					    type, failure_errno);
 
 	if (res == 0) {
 		trace_printf_key(&trace_refs, "read_raw_ref: %s: %s (=> %s) type %x: %d\n",
diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index 83ddfb3b627..f98b1be9386 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -341,9 +341,9 @@ static struct ref_cache *get_loose_ref_cache(struct files_ref_store *refs)
 	return refs->loose;
 }
 
-static int files_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
-			      const char *refname, struct object_id *oid,
-			      struct strbuf *referent, unsigned int *type)
+static int files_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *refname,
+			      struct object_id *oid, struct strbuf *referent,
+			      unsigned int *type, int *failure_errno)
 {
 	struct files_ref_store *refs =
 		files_downcast(ref_store, REF_STORE_READ, "read_raw_ref");
@@ -354,7 +354,6 @@ static int files_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 	struct stat st;
 	int fd;
 	int ret = -1;
-	int save_errno;
 	int remaining_retries = 3;
 
 	*type = 0;
@@ -459,10 +458,9 @@ stat_ref:
 	ret = parse_loose_ref_contents(buf, oid, referent, type);
 
 out:
-	save_errno = errno;
+	*failure_errno = errno;
 	strbuf_release(&sb_path);
 	strbuf_release(&sb_contents);
-	errno = save_errno;
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -541,6 +539,7 @@ static int lock_raw_ref(struct files_ref_store *refs,
 	struct strbuf ref_file = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int attempts_remaining = 3;
 	int ret = TRANSACTION_GENERIC_ERROR;
+	int failure_errno = 0;
 
 	assert(err);
 	files_assert_main_repository(refs, "lock_raw_ref");
@@ -629,9 +628,9 @@ retry:
 	 * fear that its value will change.
 	 */
 
-	if (files_read_raw_ref(&refs->base, refname,
-			       &lock->old_oid, referent, type)) {
-		if (errno == ENOENT) {
+	if (files_read_raw_ref(&refs->base, refname, &lock->old_oid, referent,
+			       type, &failure_errno)) {
+		if (failure_errno == ENOENT) {
 			if (mustexist) {
 				/* Garden variety missing reference. */
 				strbuf_addf(err, "unable to resolve reference '%s'",
@@ -655,7 +654,7 @@ retry:
 				 *   reference named "refs/foo/bar/baz".
 				 */
 			}
-		} else if (errno == EISDIR) {
+		} else if (failure_errno == EISDIR) {
 			/*
 			 * There is a directory in the way. It might have
 			 * contained references that have been deleted. If
@@ -693,13 +692,13 @@ retry:
 					goto error_return;
 				}
 			}
-		} else if (errno == EINVAL && (*type & REF_ISBROKEN)) {
+		} else if (failure_errno == EINVAL && (*type & REF_ISBROKEN)) {
 			strbuf_addf(err, "unable to resolve reference '%s': "
 				    "reference broken", refname);
 			goto error_return;
 		} else {
 			strbuf_addf(err, "unable to resolve reference '%s': %s",
-				    refname, strerror(errno));
+				    refname, strerror(failure_errno));
 			goto error_return;
 		}
 
diff --git a/refs/packed-backend.c b/refs/packed-backend.c
index dfecdbc1db6..a457f18e93c 100644
--- a/refs/packed-backend.c
+++ b/refs/packed-backend.c
@@ -724,9 +724,9 @@ static struct snapshot *get_snapshot(struct packed_ref_store *refs)
 	return refs->snapshot;
 }
 
-static int packed_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
-			       const char *refname, struct object_id *oid,
-			       struct strbuf *referent, unsigned int *type)
+static int packed_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *refname,
+			       struct object_id *oid, struct strbuf *referent,
+			       unsigned int *type, int *failure_errno)
 {
 	struct packed_ref_store *refs =
 		packed_downcast(ref_store, REF_STORE_READ, "read_raw_ref");
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ static int packed_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 
 	if (!rec) {
 		/* refname is not a packed reference. */
-		errno = ENOENT;
+		*failure_errno = ENOENT;
 		return -1;
 	}
 
diff --git a/refs/refs-internal.h b/refs/refs-internal.h
index f4445e32904..79dfb3af484 100644
--- a/refs/refs-internal.h
+++ b/refs/refs-internal.h
@@ -617,11 +617,15 @@ typedef int reflog_expire_fn(struct ref_store *ref_store,
  * properly-formatted or even safe reference name. NEITHER INPUT NOR
  * OUTPUT REFERENCE NAMES ARE VALIDATED WITHIN THIS FUNCTION.
  *
- * Return 0 on success. If the ref doesn't exist, set errno to ENOENT
- * and return -1. If the ref exists but is neither a symbolic ref nor
- * an object ID, it is broken; set REF_ISBROKEN in type, and return -1
- * (errno should not be ENOENT) If there is another error reading the
- * ref, set errno appropriately and return -1.
+ * Return 0 on success, or -1 on failure. If the ref exists but is neither a
+ * symbolic ref nor an object ID, it is broken. In this case set REF_ISBROKEN in
+ * type, and return -1 (failure_errno should not be ENOENT)
+ *
+ * failure_errno provides errno codes that are interpreted beyond error
+ * reporting. The following error codes have special meaning:
+ *    * ENOENT: the ref doesn't exist
+ *    * EISDIR: ref name is a directory
+ *    * ENOTDIR: ref prefix is not a directory
  *
  * Backend-specific flags might be set in type as well, regardless of
  * outcome.
@@ -635,9 +639,9 @@ typedef int reflog_expire_fn(struct ref_store *ref_store,
  * - in all other cases, referent will be untouched, and therefore
  *   refname will still be valid and unchanged.
  */
-typedef int read_raw_ref_fn(struct ref_store *ref_store,
-			    const char *refname, struct object_id *oid,
-			    struct strbuf *referent, unsigned int *type);
+typedef int read_raw_ref_fn(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *refname,
+			    struct object_id *oid, struct strbuf *referent,
+			    unsigned int *type, int *failure_errno);
 
 struct ref_storage_be {
 	struct ref_storage_be *next;
