diff --git a/rhodecode/lib/vcs/backends/git/repository.py b/rhodecode/lib/vcs/backends/git/repository.py
--- a/rhodecode/lib/vcs/backends/git/repository.py
+++ b/rhodecode/lib/vcs/backends/git/repository.py
@@ -177,9 +177,9 @@ class GitRepository(BaseRepository):
         # we must check if this repo is not empty, since later command
         # fails if it is. And it's cheaper to ask than throw the subprocess
         # errors
-        try:
-            self._remote.head()
-        except KeyError:
+
+        head = self._remote.head(show_exc=False)
+        if not head:
             return []
 
         rev_filter = ['--branches', '--tags']
diff --git a/rhodecode/model/db.py b/rhodecode/model/db.py
--- a/rhodecode/model/db.py
+++ b/rhodecode/model/db.py
@@ -2206,7 +2206,9 @@ class Repository(Base, BaseModel):
         if cs_cache is None:
             # use no-cache version here
             scm_repo = self.scm_instance(cache=False, config=config)
-            if scm_repo:
+
+            empty = scm_repo.is_empty()
+            if not empty:
                 cs_cache = scm_repo.get_commit(
                     pre_load=["author", "date", "message", "parents"])
             else: