diff --git a/builtin/remote.c b/builtin/remote.c
index 53b8e13975..c8dc724956 100644
--- a/builtin/remote.c
+++ b/builtin/remote.c
@@ -746,25 +746,6 @@ static int mv(int argc, const char **argv)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int remove_branches(struct string_list *branches)
-{
-	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
-	int i, result = 0;
-
-	if (repack_without_refs(branches, &err))
-		result |= error("%s", err.buf);
-	strbuf_release(&err);
-
-	for (i = 0; i < branches->nr; i++) {
-		const char *refname = branches->items[i].string;
-
-		if (delete_ref(refname, NULL, 0))
-			result |= error(_("Could not remove branch %s"), refname);
-	}
-
-	return result;
-}
-
 static int rm(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
 	struct option options[] = {
@@ -821,7 +802,7 @@ static int rm(int argc, const char **argv)
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
 
 	if (!result)
-		result = remove_branches(&branches);
+		result = delete_refs(&branches);
 	string_list_clear(&branches, 0);
 
 	if (skipped.nr) {
diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 9b7bdd4198..72e51a9675 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -2830,6 +2830,25 @@ int delete_ref(const char *refname, const unsigned char *old_sha1,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int delete_refs(struct string_list *refnames)
+{
+	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
+	int i, result = 0;
+
+	if (repack_without_refs(refnames, &err))
+		result |= error("%s", err.buf);
+	strbuf_release(&err);
+
+	for (i = 0; i < refnames->nr; i++) {
+		const char *refname = refnames->items[i].string;
+
+		if (delete_ref(refname, NULL, 0))
+			result |= error(_("Could not remove branch %s"), refname);
+	}
+
+	return result;
+}
+
 /*
  * People using contrib's git-new-workdir have .git/logs/refs ->
  * /some/other/path/.git/logs/refs, and that may live on another device.
diff --git a/refs.h b/refs.h
index 68b5e81e2d..1a5d44a974 100644
--- a/refs.h
+++ b/refs.h
@@ -212,6 +212,13 @@ extern int reflog_exists(const char *refname);
 extern int delete_ref(const char *refname, const unsigned char *old_sha1,
 		      unsigned int flags);
 
+/*
+ * Delete the specified references. If there are any problems, emit
+ * errors but attempt to keep going (i.e., the deletes are not done in
+ * an all-or-nothing transaction).
+ */
+extern int delete_refs(struct string_list *refnames);
+
 /** Delete a reflog */
 extern int delete_reflog(const char *refname);