diff --git a/refs/packed-backend.c b/refs/packed-backend.c
index 499cb55dfa..c5d96793fa 100644
--- a/refs/packed-backend.c
+++ b/refs/packed-backend.c
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #define DISABLE_SIGN_COMPARE_WARNINGS
 
 #include "../git-compat-util.h"
@@ -162,6 +161,13 @@ struct packed_ref_store {
 	 * `packed_ref_store`) must not be freed.
 	 */
 	struct tempfile *tempfile;
+
+	/*
+	 * Timeout when taking the "packed-refs.lock" file. configurable via
+	 * "core.packedRefsTimeout".
+	 */
+	bool timeout_configured;
+	int timeout_value;
 };
 
 /*
@@ -1233,12 +1239,12 @@ int packed_refs_lock(struct ref_store *ref_store, int flags, struct strbuf *err)
 	struct packed_ref_store *refs =
 		packed_downcast(ref_store, REF_STORE_WRITE | REF_STORE_MAIN,
 				"packed_refs_lock");
-	static int timeout_configured = 0;
-	static int timeout_value = 1000;
 
-	if (!timeout_configured) {
-		repo_config_get_int(the_repository, "core.packedrefstimeout", &timeout_value);
-		timeout_configured = 1;
+	if (!refs->timeout_configured) {
+		if (repo_config_get_int(ref_store->repo, "core.packedrefstimeout",
+					&refs->timeout_value))
+			refs->timeout_value = 1000;
+		refs->timeout_configured = true;
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -1249,7 +1255,7 @@ int packed_refs_lock(struct ref_store *ref_store, int flags, struct strbuf *err)
 	if (hold_lock_file_for_update_timeout(
 			    &refs->lock,
 			    refs->path,
-			    flags, timeout_value) < 0) {
+			    flags, refs->timeout_value) < 0) {
 		unable_to_lock_message(refs->path, errno, err);
 		return -1;
 	}