diff --git a/dvc/dvcfile.py b/dvc/dvcfile.py
index a5ca24c09..2ddb45078 100644
--- a/dvc/dvcfile.py
+++ b/dvc/dvcfile.py
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ from dvc.utils import relpath
 from dvc.utils.collections import apply_diff
 from dvc.utils.serialize import (
     dump_yaml,
-    load_yaml,
     modify_yaml,
     parse_yaml,
     parse_yaml_for_update,
@@ -115,6 +114,14 @@ class FileMixin:
             self.repo.fs, LocalFileSystem
         ) and self.repo.scm.is_ignored(self.path)
 
+    def _verify_filename(self):
+        if self.verify:
+            check_dvc_filename(self.path)
+
+    def _check_gitignored(self):
+        if self._is_git_ignored():
+            raise FileIsGitIgnored(self.path)
+
     def _load(self):
         # it raises the proper exceptions by priority:
         # 1. when the file doesn't exists
@@ -125,12 +132,11 @@ class FileMixin:
             is_ignored = self.repo.fs.exists(self.path, use_dvcignore=False)
             raise StageFileDoesNotExistError(self.path, dvc_ignored=is_ignored)
 
-        if self.verify:
-            check_dvc_filename(self.path)
+        self._verify_filename()
         if not self.repo.fs.isfile(self.path):
             raise StageFileIsNotDvcFileError(self.path)
-        if self._is_git_ignored():
-            raise FileIsGitIgnored(self.path)
+
+        self._check_gitignored()
         with self.repo.fs.open(self.path, encoding="utf-8") as fd:
             stage_text = fd.read()
         d = parse_yaml(stage_text, self.path)
@@ -330,18 +336,25 @@ class Lockfile(FileMixin):
         except MultipleInvalid as exc:
             raise StageFileFormatError(f"'{fname}' format error: {exc}")
 
-    def load(self):
-        if not self.exists():
-            return {}
+    def _verify_filename(self):
+        pass  # lockfile path is hardcoded, so no need to verify here
 
-        data = load_yaml(self.path, fs=self.repo.fs)
+    def _load(self):
         try:
-            data = self.validate(data, fname=self.relpath)
+            return super()._load()
+        except StageFileDoesNotExistError:
+            # we still need to account for git-ignored dvc.lock file
+            # even though it may not exist or have been .dvcignored
+            self._check_gitignored()
+            return {}, ""
         except StageFileFormatError as exc:
             raise LockfileCorruptedError(
                 f"Lockfile '{self.relpath}' is corrupted."
             ) from exc
-        return data
+
+    def load(self):
+        d, _ = self._load()
+        return d
 
     @property
     def latest_version_info(self):
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_lockfile.py b/tests/unit/test_lockfile.py
index 4b2c08d3b..bbf33d18a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_lockfile.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_lockfile.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import pytest
 
-from dvc.dvcfile import Lockfile, LockfileCorruptedError
+from dvc.dvcfile import FileIsGitIgnored, Lockfile, LockfileCorruptedError
 from dvc.stage import PipelineStage
 from dvc.utils.serialize import dump_yaml
 
@@ -83,3 +83,30 @@ def test_load_when_lockfile_is_corrupted(tmp_dir, dvc, corrupt_data):
     with pytest.raises(LockfileCorruptedError) as exc_info:
         lockfile.load()
     assert "Dvcfile.lock" in str(exc_info.value)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("dvcignored", [True, False])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("file_exists", [True, False])
+def test_try_loading_lockfile_that_is_gitignored(
+    tmp_dir, dvc, scm, dvcignored, file_exists
+):
+    # it should raise error if the file is git-ignored, even if:
+    #   1. The file does not exist at all.
+    #   2. Or, is dvc-ignored.
+    files = [".gitignore"]
+    if dvcignored:
+        files.append(".dvcignore")
+
+    for file in files:
+        with (tmp_dir / file).open(mode="a+") as fd:
+            fd.write("dvc.lock")
+
+    if file_exists:
+        (tmp_dir / "dvc.lock").write_text("")
+
+    scm._reset()
+
+    with pytest.raises(FileIsGitIgnored) as exc_info:
+        Lockfile(dvc, "dvc.lock").load()
+
+    assert str(exc_info.value) == "'dvc.lock' is git-ignored."