diff --git a/hgext/rebase.py b/hgext/rebase.py
--- a/hgext/rebase.py
+++ b/hgext/rebase.py
@@ -115,8 +115,8 @@ def rebase(ui, repo, **opts):
 
     lock = wlock = None
     try:
+        wlock = repo.wlock()
         lock = repo.lock()
-        wlock = repo.wlock()
 
         # Validate input and define rebasing points
         destf = opts.get('dest', None)