if (interactive) {
                char *old_index_env = NULL;
-               hold_locked_index(&index_lock, 1);
+               hold_locked_index(&index_lock, LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR);
 
                refresh_cache_or_die(refresh_flags);
 
         * (B) on failure, rollback the real index.
         */
        if (all || (also && pathspec.nr)) {
-               hold_locked_index(&index_lock, 1);
+               hold_locked_index(&index_lock, LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR);
                add_files_to_cache(also ? prefix : NULL, &pathspec, 0);
                refresh_cache_or_die(refresh_flags);
                update_main_cache_tree(WRITE_TREE_SILENT);
         * We still need to refresh the index here.
         */
        if (!only && !pathspec.nr) {
-               hold_locked_index(&index_lock, 1);
+               hold_locked_index(&index_lock, LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR);
                refresh_cache_or_die(refresh_flags);
                if (active_cache_changed
                    || !cache_tree_fully_valid(active_cache_tree))
        if (read_cache() < 0)
                die(_("cannot read the index"));
 
-       hold_locked_index(&index_lock, 1);
+       hold_locked_index(&index_lock, LOCK_DIE_ON_ERROR);
        add_remove_files(&partial);
        refresh_cache(REFRESH_QUIET);
        update_main_cache_tree(WRITE_TREE_SILENT);
 
        if (also + only + all + interactive > 1)
                die(_("Only one of --include/--only/--all/--interactive/--patch can be used."));
-       if (argc == 0 && (also || (only && !amend)))
+       if (argc == 0 && (also || (only && !amend && !allow_empty)))
                die(_("No paths with --include/--only does not make sense."));
-       if (argc == 0 && only && amend)
-               only_include_assumed = _("Clever... amending the last one with dirty index.");
        if (argc > 0 && !also && !only)
                only_include_assumed = _("Explicit paths specified without -i or -o; assuming --only paths...");
        if (!cleanup_arg || !strcmp(cleanup_arg, "default"))