diff --git a/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash b/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash
index 54ce58f73d..6662db221d 100644
--- a/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash
+++ b/contrib/completion/git-completion.bash
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ __git_pseudoref_exists ()
 	# platforms.
 	if __git_eread "$__git_repo_path/HEAD" head; then
 		if [ "$head" == "ref: refs/heads/.invalid" ]; then
-			__git rev-parse --verify --quiet "$ref" >/dev/null
+			__git show-ref --exists "$ref"
 			return $?
 		fi
 	fi
diff --git a/t/t9902-completion.sh b/t/t9902-completion.sh
index 56dc7343a2..35eb534fdd 100755
--- a/t/t9902-completion.sh
+++ b/t/t9902-completion.sh
@@ -2743,6 +2743,10 @@ test_expect_success '__git_pseudoref_exists' '
 		cd repo &&
 		sane_unset __git_repo_path &&
 
+		# HEAD should exist, even if it points to an unborn branch.
+		__git_pseudoref_exists HEAD >output 2>&1 &&
+		test_must_be_empty output &&
+
 		# HEAD points to an existing branch, so it should exist.
 		test_commit A &&
 		__git_pseudoref_exists HEAD >output 2>&1 &&