diff --git a/elements/source-repositories/extra-data.d/98-source-repositories b/elements/source-repositories/extra-data.d/98-source-repositories
index 39062173..6ebd0cb4 100755
--- a/elements/source-repositories/extra-data.d/98-source-repositories
+++ b/elements/source-repositories/extra-data.d/98-source-repositories
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ function get_repos_for_element(){
                     mv ${CACHE_PATH}{.tmp,}
                 fi
 
-                HAS_REF=$(git --git-dir=$CACHE_PATH/.git show-ref $REPOREF || true)
+                HAS_REF=$(git --git-dir=$CACHE_PATH/.git name-rev $REPOREF 2>/dev/null || true)
                 if [ -z "$DIB_OFFLINE" -o -z "$HAS_REF" ] ; then
                     echo "Updating cache of $REPOLOCATION in $CACHE_PATH with ref $REPOREF"
                     git --git-dir=$CACHE_PATH/.git fetch --update-head-ok $REPOLOCATION ${REPOREF}:${REPOREF}