diff --git a/app/controllers/projects/commits_controller.rb b/app/controllers/projects/commits_controller.rb
index 9e495061f4e..36faea8056e 100644
--- a/app/controllers/projects/commits_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/projects/commits_controller.rb
@@ -4,13 +4,17 @@ class Projects::CommitsController < Projects::ApplicationController
   include ExtractsPath
   include RendersCommits
 
-  before_action :whitelist_query_limiting
+  before_action :whitelist_query_limiting, except: :commits_root
   before_action :require_non_empty_project
-  before_action :assign_ref_vars
+  before_action :assign_ref_vars, except: :commits_root
   before_action :authorize_download_code!
-  before_action :set_commits
+  before_action :set_commits, except: :commits_root
   before_action :set_request_format, only: :show
 
+  def commits_root
+    redirect_to project_commits_path(@project, @project.default_branch)
+  end
+
   def show
     @merge_request = MergeRequestsFinder.new(current_user, project_id: @project.id).execute.opened
       .find_by(source_project: @project, source_branch: @ref, target_branch: @repository.root_ref)
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/31576-redirect-commits-to-root-if-no-ref.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/31576-redirect-commits-to-root-if-no-ref.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..21d9d25d342
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/31576-redirect-commits-to-root-if-no-ref.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Redirect commits to root if no ref is provided (31576)
+merge_request: 20738
+author: Kia Mei Somabes
+type: added
diff --git a/config/routes/repository.rb b/config/routes/repository.rb
index e2bf8d6a7ff..d439cb9acbd 100644
--- a/config/routes/repository.rb
+++ b/config/routes/repository.rb
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ scope format: false do
     get '/raw/*id', to: 'raw#show', as: :raw
     get '/blame/*id', to: 'blame#show', as: :blame
 
+    get '/commits', to: 'commits#commits_root', as: :commits_root
     get '/commits/*id/signatures', to: 'commits#signatures', as: :signatures
     get '/commits/*id', to: 'commits#show', as: :commits
 
diff --git a/spec/controllers/projects/commits_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/projects/commits_controller_spec.rb
index d44048fdf55..a43bdd3ea80 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/projects/commits_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/projects/commits_controller_spec.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,18 @@ describe Projects::CommitsController do
     project.add_maintainer(user)
   end
 
+  describe "GET commits_root" do
+    context "no ref is provided" do
+      it 'should redirect to the default branch of the project' do
+        get(:commits_root,
+            namespace_id: project.namespace,
+            project_id: project)
+
+        expect(response).to redirect_to project_commits_path(project)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "GET show" do
     render_views