diff --git a/commands.cpp b/commands.cpp
index d3c5069..4b593f6 100644
--- a/commands.cpp
+++ b/commands.cpp
@@ -372,13 +372,9 @@ static void load_key (Key_file& key_file, const char* key_name, const char* key_
 	}
 }
 
-static void unlink_repo_key (const char* key_name)
+static void unlink_internal_key (const char* key_name)
 {
-	std::string	key_path(get_internal_key_path(key_name ? key_name : "default"));
-
-	if ((unlink(key_path.c_str())) == -1 && errno != ENOENT) {
-		throw System_error("Unable to remove repo key", key_path, errno);
-	}
+	remove_file(get_internal_key_path(key_name ? key_name : "default"));
 }
 
 static bool decrypt_repo_key (Key_file& key_file, const char* key_name, uint32_t key_version, const std::vector<std::string>& secret_keys, const std::string& keys_path)
@@ -907,12 +903,12 @@ int lock (int argc, const char** argv)
 		std::vector<std::string> dirents = get_directory_contents(get_internal_keys_path().c_str());
 
 		for (std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator dirent(dirents.begin()); dirent != dirents.end(); ++dirent) {
-			unlink_repo_key(dirent->c_str());
+			unlink_internal_key(dirent->c_str());
 			unconfigure_git_filters(dirent->c_str());
 		}
 	} else {
 		// just handle the given key
-		unlink_repo_key(key_name);
+		unlink_internal_key(key_name);
 		unconfigure_git_filters(key_name);
 	}
 
diff --git a/util-unix.cpp b/util-unix.cpp
index 2bdf364..d31550b 100644
--- a/util-unix.cpp
+++ b/util-unix.cpp
@@ -285,6 +285,13 @@ void	touch_file (const std::string& filename)
 	}
 }
 
+void	remove_file (const std::string& filename)
+{
+	if (unlink(filename.c_str()) == -1) {
+		throw System_error("unlink", filename, errno);
+	}
+}
+
 static void	init_std_streams_platform ()
 {
 }
diff --git a/util-win32.cpp b/util-win32.cpp
index 4d442db..21576c7 100644
--- a/util-win32.cpp
+++ b/util-win32.cpp
@@ -340,6 +340,13 @@ void	touch_file (const std::string& filename)
 	CloseHandle(fh);
 }
 
+void	remove_file (const std::string& filename)
+{
+	if (!DeleteFileA(filename.c_str())) {
+		throw System_error("DeleteFileA", filename, GetLastError());
+	}
+}
+
 static void	init_std_streams_platform ()
 {
 	_setmode(_fileno(stdin), _O_BINARY);
diff --git a/util.hpp b/util.hpp
index aa04912..8b5bc33 100644
--- a/util.hpp
+++ b/util.hpp
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ int		exec_command (const std::vector<std::string>&, std::ostream& output);
 int		exec_command_with_input (const std::vector<std::string>&, const char* p, size_t len);
 bool		successful_exit (int status);
 void		touch_file (const std::string&);
+void		remove_file (const std::string&);
 std::string	escape_shell_arg (const std::string&);
 uint32_t	load_be32 (const unsigned char*);
 void		store_be32 (unsigned char*, uint32_t);