diff --git a/modules/git/repo_branch.go b/modules/git/repo_branch.go
index 3a9aa3e4e6..1e38bf2946 100644
--- a/modules/git/repo_branch.go
+++ b/modules/git/repo_branch.go
@@ -19,15 +19,9 @@ import (
 // BranchPrefix base dir of the branch information file store on git
 const BranchPrefix = "refs/heads/"
 
-// IsReferenceExist returns true if given reference exists in the repository.
-func IsReferenceExist(ctx context.Context, repoPath, name string) bool {
-	_, _, err := NewCommand(ctx, "show-ref", "--verify").AddDashesAndList(name).RunStdString(&RunOpts{Dir: repoPath})
-	return err == nil
-}
-
 // IsBranchExist returns true if given branch exists in the repository.
 func IsBranchExist(ctx context.Context, repoPath, name string) bool {
-	return IsReferenceExist(ctx, repoPath, BranchPrefix+name)
+	return NewCommand(ctx, "show-ref", "--verify", "--quiet").AddDashesAndList(BranchPrefix+name).Run(&RunOpts{Dir: repoPath}) == nil
 }
 
 // Branch represents a Git branch.
diff --git a/modules/git/repo_branch_test.go b/modules/git/repo_branch_test.go
index 1e0fea7cd4..e61ea6f5d7 100644
--- a/modules/git/repo_branch_test.go
+++ b/modules/git/repo_branch_test.go
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // Copyright 2018 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright 2025 The Forgejo Authors. All rights reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
 package git
@@ -195,3 +196,17 @@ func TestRepository_IsReferenceExist(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestIsBranchExist(t *testing.T) {
+	repo1Path := filepath.Join(testReposDir, "repo1_bare")
+
+	assert.True(t, IsBranchExist(t.Context(), repo1Path, "branch1"))
+	assert.True(t, IsBranchExist(t.Context(), repo1Path, "branch2"))
+	assert.True(t, IsBranchExist(t.Context(), repo1Path, "master"))
+
+	assert.False(t, IsBranchExist(t.Context(), repo1Path, "HEAD"))
+	assert.False(t, IsBranchExist(t.Context(), repo1Path, "153f451b9ee7fa1da317ab17a127e9fd9d384310"))
+	assert.False(t, IsBranchExist(t.Context(), repo1Path, "153f451b9ee7fa1da317ab17a127e9fd9d384310"))
+	assert.False(t, IsBranchExist(t.Context(), repo1Path, "signed-tag"))
+	assert.False(t, IsBranchExist(t.Context(), repo1Path, "test"))
+}
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/repo/branch.go b/routers/api/v1/repo/branch.go
index 7c9593d625..e043448590 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/repo/branch.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/repo/branch.go
@@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ func CreateBranchProtection(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	isPlainRule := !git_model.IsRuleNameSpecial(ruleName)
 	var isBranchExist bool
 	if isPlainRule {
-		isBranchExist = git.IsBranchExist(ctx.Req.Context(), ctx.Repo.Repository.RepoPath(), ruleName)
+		isBranchExist = ctx.Repo.GitRepo.IsBranchExist(ruleName)
 	}
 
 	protectBranch, err := git_model.GetProtectedBranchRuleByName(ctx, repo.ID, ruleName)
@@ -982,7 +982,7 @@ func EditBranchProtection(ctx *context.APIContext) {
 	isPlainRule := !git_model.IsRuleNameSpecial(bpName)
 	var isBranchExist bool
 	if isPlainRule {
-		isBranchExist = git.IsBranchExist(ctx.Req.Context(), ctx.Repo.Repository.RepoPath(), bpName)
+		isBranchExist = ctx.Repo.GitRepo.IsBranchExist(bpName)
 	}
 
 	if isBranchExist {
diff --git a/routers/web/repo/pull.go b/routers/web/repo/pull.go
index 4e365f24ea..a9507332f8 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/pull.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/pull.go
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ func PrepareViewPullInfo(ctx *context.Context, issue *issues_model.Issue) *git.C
 		if pull.Flow == issues_model.PullRequestFlowGithub {
 			headBranchExist = headGitRepo.IsBranchExist(pull.HeadBranch)
 		} else {
-			headBranchExist = git.IsReferenceExist(ctx, baseGitRepo.Path, pull.GetGitRefName())
+			headBranchExist = headGitRepo.IsReferenceExist(pull.GetGitRefName())
 		}
 
 		if headBranchExist {
diff --git a/services/automerge/automerge.go b/services/automerge/automerge.go
index cbfe3bd54e..96a0e0498d 100644
--- a/services/automerge/automerge.go
+++ b/services/automerge/automerge.go
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ func handlePullRequestAutoMerge(pullID int64, sha string) {
 			return
 		}
 	case issues_model.PullRequestFlowAGit:
-		headBranchExist := git.IsReferenceExist(ctx, baseGitRepo.Path, pr.GetGitRefName())
+		headBranchExist := headGitRepo.IsReferenceExist(pr.GetGitRefName())
 		if !headBranchExist {
 			log.Warn("Head branch of auto merge %-v does not exist [HeadRepoID: %d, Branch(Agit): %s]", pr, pr.HeadRepoID, pr.HeadBranch)
 			return
diff --git a/services/pull/commit_status.go b/services/pull/commit_status.go
index 3c864c8ef2..0a95ea1152 100644
--- a/services/pull/commit_status.go
+++ b/services/pull/commit_status.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"forgejo.org/models/db"
 	git_model "forgejo.org/models/git"
 	issues_model "forgejo.org/models/issues"
-	"forgejo.org/modules/git"
 	"forgejo.org/modules/gitrepo"
 	"forgejo.org/modules/log"
 	"forgejo.org/modules/structs"
@@ -105,7 +104,7 @@ func GetPullRequestCommitStatusState(ctx context.Context, pr *issues_model.PullR
 	if pr.Flow == issues_model.PullRequestFlowGithub && !headGitRepo.IsBranchExist(pr.HeadBranch) {
 		return "", errors.New("head branch does not exist, can not merge")
 	}
-	if pr.Flow == issues_model.PullRequestFlowAGit && !git.IsReferenceExist(ctx, headGitRepo.Path, pr.GetGitRefName()) {
+	if pr.Flow == issues_model.PullRequestFlowAGit && !headGitRepo.IsReferenceExist(pr.GetGitRefName()) {
 		return "", errors.New("head branch does not exist, can not merge")
 	}