diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index a4c7858787..296981584b 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -100,6 +100,23 @@ static void clear_loose_ref_cache(struct files_ref_store *refs)
 	}
 }
 
+static void files_ref_store_reparent(const char *name UNUSED,
+				     const char *old_cwd,
+				     const char *new_cwd,
+				     void *payload)
+{
+	struct files_ref_store *refs = payload;
+	char *tmp;
+
+	tmp = reparent_relative_path(old_cwd, new_cwd, refs->base.gitdir);
+	free(refs->base.gitdir);
+	refs->base.gitdir = tmp;
+
+	tmp = reparent_relative_path(old_cwd, new_cwd, refs->gitcommondir);
+	free(refs->gitcommondir);
+	refs->gitcommondir = tmp;
+}
+
 /*
  * Create a new submodule ref cache and add it to the internal
  * set of caches.
@@ -128,9 +145,7 @@ static struct ref_store *files_ref_store_init(struct repository *repo,
 
 	repo_config_get_bool(repo, "core.prefersymlinkrefs", &refs->prefer_symlink_refs);
 
-	chdir_notify_reparent("files-backend $GIT_DIR", &refs->base.gitdir);
-	chdir_notify_reparent("files-backend $GIT_COMMONDIR",
-			      &refs->gitcommondir);
+	chdir_notify_register(NULL, files_ref_store_reparent, refs);
 
 	strbuf_release(&refdir);
 
@@ -182,6 +197,7 @@ static void files_ref_store_release(struct ref_store *ref_store)
 	free(refs->gitcommondir);
 	ref_store_release(refs->packed_ref_store);
 	free(refs->packed_ref_store);
+	chdir_notify_unregister(NULL, files_ref_store_reparent, refs);
 }
 
 static void files_reflog_path(struct files_ref_store *refs,
diff --git a/refs/packed-backend.c b/refs/packed-backend.c
index 0acde48c45..499cb55dfa 100644
--- a/refs/packed-backend.c
+++ b/refs/packed-backend.c
@@ -211,6 +211,19 @@ static size_t snapshot_hexsz(const struct snapshot *snapshot)
 	return snapshot->refs->base.repo->hash_algo->hexsz;
 }
 
+static void packed_ref_store_reparent(const char *name UNUSED,
+				      const char *old_cwd,
+				      const char *new_cwd,
+				      void *payload)
+{
+	struct packed_ref_store *refs = payload;
+	char *tmp;
+
+	tmp = reparent_relative_path(old_cwd, new_cwd, refs->path);
+	free(refs->path);
+	refs->path = tmp;
+}
+
 /*
  * Since packed-refs is only stored in the common dir, don't parse the
  * payload and rely on the files-backend to set 'gitdir' correctly.
@@ -229,7 +242,7 @@ struct ref_store *packed_ref_store_init(struct repository *repo,
 
 	strbuf_addf(&sb, "%s/packed-refs", gitdir);
 	refs->path = strbuf_detach(&sb, NULL);
-	chdir_notify_reparent("packed-refs", &refs->path);
+	chdir_notify_register(NULL, packed_ref_store_reparent, refs);
 	return ref_store;
 }
 
@@ -274,6 +287,7 @@ static void packed_ref_store_release(struct ref_store *ref_store)
 	clear_snapshot(refs);
 	rollback_lock_file(&refs->lock);
 	delete_tempfile(&refs->tempfile);
+	chdir_notify_unregister(NULL, packed_ref_store_reparent, refs);
 	free(refs->path);
 }
 
diff --git a/refs/reftable-backend.c b/refs/reftable-backend.c
index 4ae22922de..8c93070677 100644
--- a/refs/reftable-backend.c
+++ b/refs/reftable-backend.c
@@ -365,6 +365,19 @@ static int reftable_be_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void reftable_be_reparent(const char *name UNUSED,
+				 const char *old_cwd,
+				 const char *new_cwd,
+				 void *payload)
+{
+	struct reftable_ref_store *refs = payload;
+	char *tmp;
+
+	tmp = reparent_relative_path(old_cwd, new_cwd, refs->base.gitdir);
+	free(refs->base.gitdir);
+	refs->base.gitdir = tmp;
+}
+
 static struct ref_store *reftable_be_init(struct repository *repo,
 					  const char *payload,
 					  const char *gitdir,
@@ -447,7 +460,7 @@ static struct ref_store *reftable_be_init(struct repository *repo,
 			goto done;
 	}
 
-	chdir_notify_reparent("reftables-backend $GIT_DIR", &refs->base.gitdir);
+	chdir_notify_register(NULL, reftable_be_reparent, refs);
 
 done:
 	assert(refs->err != REFTABLE_API_ERROR);
@@ -474,6 +487,7 @@ static void reftable_be_release(struct ref_store *ref_store)
 		free(be);
 	}
 	strmap_clear(&refs->worktree_backends, 0);
+	chdir_notify_unregister(NULL, reftable_be_reparent, refs);
 }
 
 static int reftable_be_create_on_disk(struct ref_store *ref_store,