diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_cmd_obj_builder.go b/pkg/commands/git_cmd_obj_builder.go
index 753489ef4..495582722 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_cmd_obj_builder.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_cmd_obj_builder.go
@@ -28,14 +28,12 @@ func NewGitCmdObjBuilder(log *logrus.Entry, innerBuilder *oscommands.CmdObjBuild
 	}
 }
 
-var defaultEnvVar = "GIT_OPTIONAL_LOCKS=0"
-
 func (self *gitCmdObjBuilder) New(args []string) *oscommands.CmdObj {
-	return self.innerBuilder.New(args).AddEnvVars(defaultEnvVar)
+	return self.innerBuilder.New(args)
 }
 
 func (self *gitCmdObjBuilder) NewShell(cmdStr string, shellFunctionsFile string) *oscommands.CmdObj {
-	return self.innerBuilder.NewShell(cmdStr, shellFunctionsFile).AddEnvVars(defaultEnvVar)
+	return self.innerBuilder.NewShell(cmdStr, shellFunctionsFile)
 }
 
 func (self *gitCmdObjBuilder) Quote(str string) string {
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader.go
index 36ab8ef67..9df977bb9 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader.go
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ type GetStatusFileOptions struct {
 	// This is useful for users with bare repos for dotfiles who default to hiding untracked files,
 	// but want to occasionally see them to `git add` a new file.
 	ForceShowUntracked bool
+	// When true, this status is part of an unattended background refresh, so we
+	// pass --no-optional-locks to avoid index.lock contention with git commands
+	// the user runs in a terminal (at the cost of not persisting git's refreshed
+	// stat-cache).
+	Background bool
 }
 
 func (self *FileLoader) GetStatusFiles(opts GetStatusFileOptions) []*models.File {
@@ -47,7 +52,7 @@ func (self *FileLoader) GetStatusFiles(opts GetStatusFileOptions) []*models.File
 	}
 	untrackedFilesArg := fmt.Sprintf("--untracked-files=%s", untrackedFilesSetting)
 
-	statuses, err := self.gitStatus(GitStatusOptions{NoRenames: opts.NoRenames, UntrackedFilesArg: untrackedFilesArg})
+	statuses, err := self.gitStatus(GitStatusOptions{NoRenames: opts.NoRenames, UntrackedFilesArg: untrackedFilesArg, Background: opts.Background})
 	if err != nil {
 		self.Log.Error(err)
 	}
@@ -148,6 +153,7 @@ func (self *FileLoader) getFileDiffs() (map[string]FileDiff, error) {
 type GitStatusOptions struct {
 	NoRenames         bool
 	UntrackedFilesArg string
+	Background        bool
 }
 
 type FileStatus struct {
@@ -169,6 +175,7 @@ func (self *FileLoader) gitDiffNumStat() (string, error) {
 
 func (self *FileLoader) gitStatus(opts GitStatusOptions) ([]FileStatus, error) {
 	cmdArgs := NewGitCmd("status").
+		GlobalArgIf(opts.Background, "--no-optional-locks").
 		Arg(opts.UntrackedFilesArg).
 		Arg("--porcelain").
 		Arg("-z").
diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader_test.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader_test.go
index ec1f502f1..4f6b5e136 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader_test.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/file_loader_test.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ func TestFileGetStatusFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	type scenario struct {
 		testName               string
 		similarityThreshold    int
+		background             bool
 		runner                 oscommands.ICmdObjRunner
 		showNumstatInFilesView bool
 		expectedFiles          []*models.File
@@ -26,6 +27,14 @@ func TestFileGetStatusFiles(t *testing.T) {
 				ExpectGitArgs([]string{"status", "--untracked-files=yes", "--porcelain", "-z", "--find-renames=50%"}, "", nil),
 			expectedFiles: []*models.File{},
 		},
+		{
+			testName:            "Background refresh passes --no-optional-locks",
+			similarityThreshold: 50,
+			background:          true,
+			runner: oscommands.NewFakeRunner(t).
+				ExpectGitArgs([]string{"--no-optional-locks", "status", "--untracked-files=yes", "--porcelain", "-z", "--find-renames=50%"}, "", nil),
+			expectedFiles: []*models.File{},
+		},
 		{
 			testName:            "Several files found",
 			similarityThreshold: 50,
@@ -246,7 +255,7 @@ func TestFileGetStatusFiles(t *testing.T) {
 				getFileType: func(string) string { return "file" },
 			}
 
-			assert.EqualValues(t, s.expectedFiles, loader.GetStatusFiles(GetStatusFileOptions{}))
+			assert.EqualValues(t, s.expectedFiles, loader.GetStatusFiles(GetStatusFileOptions{Background: s.background}))
 		})
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/gui/background.go b/pkg/gui/background.go
index afd343df3..94bf4f678 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/background.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/background.go
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ func (self *BackgroundRoutineMgr) startBackgroundFilesRefresh() {
 
 	userConfig := self.gui.UserConfig()
 	self.goEvery(userConfig.Refresher.RefreshIntervalDuration(), self.gui.stopChan, func(_ bool) error {
-		self.gui.c.Refresh(types.RefreshOptions{Scope: []types.RefreshableView{types.FILES}})
+		self.gui.c.Refresh(types.RefreshOptions{Scope: []types.RefreshableView{types.FILES}, Background: true})
 		return nil
 	})
 }
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ func (self *BackgroundRoutineMgr) checkForExternalChanges() {
 
 	// No need to update the stored snapshot here; Refresh does that.
 	self.gui.c.Log.Info("External ref change detected — refreshing")
-	self.gui.c.Refresh(types.RefreshOptions{})
+	self.gui.c.Refresh(types.RefreshOptions{Background: true})
 }
 
 // returns a channel that can be used to trigger the callback immediately
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ func (self *BackgroundRoutineMgr) goEvery(interval time.Duration, stop chan stru
 func (self *BackgroundRoutineMgr) backgroundFetch() (err error) {
 	err = self.gui.git.Sync.FetchBackground()
 
-	return self.gui.helpers.BranchesHelper.PostFetchRefresh(err)
+	return self.gui.helpers.BranchesHelper.PostFetchRefresh(err, true)
 }
 
 func (self *BackgroundRoutineMgr) triggerImmediateFetch() {
diff --git a/pkg/gui/controllers/files_controller.go b/pkg/gui/controllers/files_controller.go
index 09f654e2b..d048da508 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/controllers/files_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/controllers/files_controller.go
@@ -1372,7 +1372,7 @@ func (self *FilesController) fetch() error {
 			return errors.New(self.c.Tr.PassUnameWrong)
 		}
 
-		return self.c.Helpers().BranchesHelper.PostFetchRefresh(err)
+		return self.c.Helpers().BranchesHelper.PostFetchRefresh(err, false)
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/branches_helper.go b/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/branches_helper.go
index 8af447f79..ccc9d33ac 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/branches_helper.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/branches_helper.go
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ func (self *BranchesHelper) deleteRemoteBranches(remoteBranches []*models.Remote
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (self *BranchesHelper) PostFetchRefresh(fetchErr error) error {
+func (self *BranchesHelper) PostFetchRefresh(fetchErr error, background bool) error {
 	scope := []types.RefreshableView{
 		types.BRANCHES, types.COMMITS, types.REMOTES, types.TAGS, types.PULL_REQUESTS,
 	}
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ func (self *BranchesHelper) PostFetchRefresh(fetchErr error) error {
 	if self.c.UserConfig().Git.AutoForwardBranches != "none" {
 		scope = append(scope, types.WORKTREES)
 	}
-	self.c.Refresh(types.RefreshOptions{Scope: scope, Mode: types.SYNC})
+	self.c.Refresh(types.RefreshOptions{Scope: scope, Mode: types.SYNC, Background: background})
 	if fetchErr != nil {
 		return fetchErr
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refresh_helper.go b/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refresh_helper.go
index b51c528e2..31035d104 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refresh_helper.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refresh_helper.go
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ func (self *RefreshHelper) Refresh(options types.RefreshOptions) {
 		if scopeSet.Includes(types.FILES) {
 			fileWg.Add(1)
 			refresh("files", func() {
-				_ = self.refreshFilesAndSubmodules()
+				_ = self.refreshFilesAndSubmodules(options.Background)
 				fileWg.Done()
 			})
 		}
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshBranches(refreshWorktrees bool, keepBranchSele
 	self.refreshStatus()
 }
 
-func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshFilesAndSubmodules() error {
+func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshFilesAndSubmodules(background bool) error {
 	self.c.Mutexes().RefreshingFilesMutex.Lock()
 	self.c.State().SetIsRefreshingFiles(true)
 	defer func() {
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshFilesAndSubmodules() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := self.refreshStateFiles(); err != nil {
+	if err := self.refreshStateFiles(background); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshFilesAndSubmodules() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshStateFiles() error {
+func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshStateFiles(background bool) error {
 	fileTreeViewModel := self.c.Contexts().Files.FileTreeViewModel
 
 	prevConflictFileCount := 0
@@ -687,6 +687,7 @@ func (self *RefreshHelper) refreshStateFiles() error {
 	files := self.c.Git().Loaders.FileLoader.
 		GetStatusFiles(git_commands.GetStatusFileOptions{
 			ForceShowUntracked: self.c.Contexts().Files.ForceShowUntracked(),
+			Background:         background,
 		})
 
 	conflictFileCount := 0
diff --git a/pkg/gui/types/refresh.go b/pkg/gui/types/refresh.go
index 8092ee36e..c9e156180 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/types/refresh.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/types/refresh.go
@@ -44,4 +44,12 @@ type RefreshOptions struct {
 	// keeps the selection index the same. Useful after checking out a detached
 	// head, and selecting index 0.
 	KeepBranchSelectionIndex bool
+
+	// When true, this refresh was initiated by a background routine rather than
+	// by a user action. We use it to keep background `git status` calls from
+	// taking optional git locks, so they don't contend for index.lock with git
+	// commands the user runs in a terminal. The cost is that such a status won't
+	// persist git's refreshed stat-cache, which is the right trade-off for
+	// unattended work; foreground refreshes leave this false so they do persist.
+	Background bool
 }