static void read_head_pointers(void)
 {
        if (read_ref("HEAD", head_sha1))
-               die("No HEAD -- no initial commit yet?\n");
+               die("No HEAD -- no initial commit yet?");
        if (read_ref("MERGE_HEAD", merge_head_sha1)) {
                fprintf(stderr, "Not in the middle of a merge.\n");
                exit(0);
                if (newfd < 0) {
                        if (refresh_flags & REFRESH_QUIET)
                                exit(128);
-                       die("unable to create '%s.lock': %s",
-                           get_index_file(), strerror(lock_error));
+                       unable_to_lock_index_die(get_index_file(), lock_error);
                }
                if (write_cache(newfd, active_cache, active_nr) ||
                    commit_locked_index(lock_file))