diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectoryTest.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectoryTest.java
index 9bf3b94c4..a821e948e 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectoryTest.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectoryTest.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (C) 2010, Google Inc.
+ * Copyright (C) 2010, 2013 Google Inc.
  * and other copyright owners as documented in the project's IP log.
  *
  * This program and the accompanying materials are made available
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ import org.eclipse.jgit.junit.LocalDiskRepositoryTestCase;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.junit.TestRepository;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.AnyObjectId;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.BatchRefUpdate;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ProgressMonitor;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.NullProgressMonitor;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref.Storage;
@@ -1191,8 +1192,7 @@ public class RefDirectoryTest extends LocalDiskRepositoryTestCase {
 						ReceiveCommand.Type.UPDATE_NONFASTFORWARD));
 		BatchRefUpdate batchUpdate = refdir.newBatchUpdate();
 		batchUpdate.addCommand(commands);
-		batchUpdate
-				.execute(new RevWalk(diskRepo), NullProgressMonitor.INSTANCE);
+		batchUpdate.execute(new RevWalk(diskRepo), new StrictWorkMonitor());
 		Map<String, Ref> refs = refdir.getRefs(RefDatabase.ALL);
 		assertEquals(ReceiveCommand.Result.OK, commands.get(0).getResult());
 		assertEquals(ReceiveCommand.Result.REJECTED_NONFASTFORWARD, commands
@@ -1215,8 +1215,7 @@ public class RefDirectoryTest extends LocalDiskRepositoryTestCase {
 		BatchRefUpdate batchUpdate = refdir.newBatchUpdate();
 		batchUpdate.setAllowNonFastForwards(true);
 		batchUpdate.addCommand(commands);
-		batchUpdate
-				.execute(new RevWalk(diskRepo), NullProgressMonitor.INSTANCE);
+		batchUpdate.execute(new RevWalk(diskRepo), new StrictWorkMonitor());
 		Map<String, Ref> refs = refdir.getRefs(RefDatabase.ALL);
 		assertEquals(ReceiveCommand.Result.OK, commands.get(0).getResult());
 		assertEquals(ReceiveCommand.Result.OK, commands.get(1).getResult());
@@ -1267,8 +1266,7 @@ public class RefDirectoryTest extends LocalDiskRepositoryTestCase {
 		BatchRefUpdate batchUpdate = refdir.newBatchUpdate();
 		batchUpdate.setAllowNonFastForwards(true);
 		batchUpdate.addCommand(commands);
-		batchUpdate
-				.execute(new RevWalk(diskRepo), NullProgressMonitor.INSTANCE);
+		batchUpdate.execute(new RevWalk(diskRepo), new StrictWorkMonitor());
 		Map<String, Ref> refs = refdir.getRefs(RefDatabase.ALL);
 		assertEquals(ReceiveCommand.Result.OK, commands.get(0).getResult());
 		assertEquals(ReceiveCommand.Result.OK, commands.get(1).getResult());
@@ -1311,4 +1309,29 @@ public class RefDirectoryTest extends LocalDiskRepositoryTestCase {
 		File path = new File(diskRepo.getDirectory(), name);
 		assertTrue("deleted " + name, path.delete());
 	}
+
+	private static final class StrictWorkMonitor implements ProgressMonitor {
+		private int lastWork, totalWork;
+
+		public void start(int totalTasks) {
+			// empty
+		}
+
+		public void beginTask(String title, int totalWork) {
+			this.totalWork = totalWork;
+			lastWork = 0;
+		}
+
+		public void update(int completed) {
+			lastWork += completed;
+		}
+
+		public void endTask() {
+			assertEquals("Units of work recorded", totalWork, lastWork);
+		}
+
+		public boolean isCancelled() {
+			return false;
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/BatchRefUpdate.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/BatchRefUpdate.java
index b86d6fad8..b369d0d1f 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/BatchRefUpdate.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/lib/BatchRefUpdate.java
@@ -294,8 +294,6 @@ public class BatchRefUpdate {
 			// Now to the update that may require more room in the name space
 			for (ReceiveCommand cmd : commands2) {
 				try {
-					monitor.update(1);
-
 					if (cmd.getResult() == NOT_ATTEMPTED) {
 						cmd.updateType(walk);
 						RefUpdate ru = newUpdate(cmd);
@@ -305,7 +303,6 @@ public class BatchRefUpdate {
 							break;
 						case UPDATE:
 						case UPDATE_NONFASTFORWARD:
-							monitor.update(1);
 							RefUpdate ruu = newUpdate(cmd);
 							cmd.setResult(ruu.update(walk));
 							break;
@@ -329,6 +326,8 @@ public class BatchRefUpdate {
 				} catch (IOException err) {
 					cmd.setResult(REJECTED_OTHER_REASON, MessageFormat.format(
 							JGitText.get().lockError, err.getMessage()));
+				} finally {
+					monitor.update(1);
 				}
 			}
 		}