diff --git a/services/actions/notifier.go b/services/actions/notifier.go
index 6551da39e7..a4ebdf9e88 100644
--- a/services/actions/notifier.go
+++ b/services/actions/notifier.go
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ func (n *actionsNotifier) ForkRepository(ctx context.Context, doer *user_model.U
 	// Add to hook queue for created repo after session commit.
 	if u.IsOrganization() {
 		newNotifyInput(repo, doer, webhook_module.HookEventRepository).
-			WithRef(oldRepo.DefaultBranch).
+			WithRef(git.RefNameFromBranch(oldRepo.DefaultBranch).String()).
 			WithPayload(&api.RepositoryPayload{
 				Action:       api.HookRepoCreated,
 				Repository:   convert.ToRepo(ctx, repo, access_model.Permission{AccessMode: perm_model.AccessModeOwner}),
diff --git a/services/actions/notifier_helper.go b/services/actions/notifier_helper.go
index 1d09a222c0..0030ef9a91 100644
--- a/services/actions/notifier_helper.go
+++ b/services/actions/notifier_helper.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ type notifyInput struct {
 	Event webhook_module.HookEventType
 
 	// optional
-	Ref         string
+	Ref         git.RefName
 	Payload     api.Payloader
 	PullRequest *issues_model.PullRequest
 }
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ func (input *notifyInput) WithDoer(doer *user_model.User) *notifyInput {
 }
 
 func (input *notifyInput) WithRef(ref string) *notifyInput {
-	input.Ref = ref
+	input.Ref = git.RefName(ref)
 	return input
 }
 
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ func (input *notifyInput) WithPayload(payload api.Payloader) *notifyInput {
 func (input *notifyInput) WithPullRequest(pr *issues_model.PullRequest) *notifyInput {
 	input.PullRequest = pr
 	if input.Ref == "" {
-		input.Ref = pr.GetGitRefName()
+		input.Ref = git.RefName(pr.GetGitRefName())
 	}
 	return input
 }
@@ -144,20 +144,25 @@ func notify(ctx context.Context, input *notifyInput) error {
 	defer gitRepo.Close()
 
 	ref := input.Ref
-	if ref != input.Repo.DefaultBranch && actions_module.IsDefaultBranchWorkflow(input.Event) {
+	if ref.BranchName() != input.Repo.DefaultBranch && actions_module.IsDefaultBranchWorkflow(input.Event) {
 		if ref != "" {
 			log.Warn("Event %q should only trigger workflows on the default branch, but its ref is %q. Will fall back to the default branch",
 				input.Event, ref)
 		}
-		ref = input.Repo.DefaultBranch
+		ref = git.RefNameFromBranch(input.Repo.DefaultBranch)
 	}
 	if ref == "" {
 		log.Warn("Ref of event %q is empty, will fall back to the default branch", input.Event)
-		ref = input.Repo.DefaultBranch
+		ref = git.RefNameFromBranch(input.Repo.DefaultBranch)
+	}
+
+	commitID, err := gitRepo.GetRefCommitID(ref.String())
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("gitRepo.GetRefCommitID: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Get the commit object for the ref
-	commit, err := gitRepo.GetCommit(ref)
+	commit, err := gitRepo.GetCommit(commitID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("gitRepo.GetCommit: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -168,7 +173,7 @@ func notify(ctx context.Context, input *notifyInput) error {
 
 	var detectedWorkflows []*actions_module.DetectedWorkflow
 	actionsConfig := input.Repo.MustGetUnit(ctx, unit_model.TypeActions).ActionsConfig()
-	shouldDetectSchedules := input.Event == webhook_module.HookEventPush && git.RefName(input.Ref).BranchName() == input.Repo.DefaultBranch
+	shouldDetectSchedules := input.Event == webhook_module.HookEventPush && input.Ref.BranchName() == input.Repo.DefaultBranch
 	workflows, schedules, err := actions_module.DetectWorkflows(gitRepo, commit,
 		input.Event,
 		input.Payload,
@@ -220,12 +225,12 @@ func notify(ctx context.Context, input *notifyInput) error {
 	}
 
 	if shouldDetectSchedules {
-		if err := handleSchedules(ctx, schedules, commit, input, ref); err != nil {
+		if err := handleSchedules(ctx, schedules, commit, input, ref.String()); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
 
-	return handleWorkflows(ctx, detectedWorkflows, commit, input, ref)
+	return handleWorkflows(ctx, detectedWorkflows, commit, input, ref.String())
 }
 
 func skipWorkflows(input *notifyInput, commit *git.Commit) bool {
diff --git a/tests/integration/actions_trigger_test.go b/tests/integration/actions_trigger_test.go
index ed0c607374..c254c90958 100644
--- a/tests/integration/actions_trigger_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/actions_trigger_test.go
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ func TestCreateDeleteRefEvent(t *testing.T) {
 			Title:      "add workflow",
 			RepoID:     repo.ID,
 			Event:      "delete",
-			Ref:        "main",
+			Ref:        "refs/heads/main",
 			WorkflowID: "createdelete.yml",
 			CommitSHA:  branch.CommitID,
 		})
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ func TestCreateDeleteRefEvent(t *testing.T) {
 			Title:      "add workflow",
 			RepoID:     repo.ID,
 			Event:      "delete",
-			Ref:        "main",
+			Ref:        "refs/heads/main",
 			WorkflowID: "createdelete.yml",
 			CommitSHA:  branch.CommitID,
 		})