diff --git a/lib/gitlab/git/commit.rb b/lib/gitlab/git/commit.rb
index ca7e3a7c4be..600d886e818 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/git/commit.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/git/commit.rb
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ module Gitlab
             if is_enabled
               repo.gitaly_commit_client.between(base, head)
             else
-              repo.commits_between(base, head).map { |c| decorate(c) }
+              repo.rugged_commits_between(base, head).map { |c| decorate(c) }
             end
           end
         rescue Rugged::ReferenceError
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/git/repository.rb b/lib/gitlab/git/repository.rb
index 70d793f8e4a..26ad40c3eed 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/git/repository.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/git/repository.rb
@@ -327,7 +327,9 @@ module Gitlab
       # Return a collection of Rugged::Commits between the two revspec arguments.
       # See http://git-scm.com/docs/git-rev-parse.html#_specifying_revisions for
       # a detailed list of valid arguments.
-      def commits_between(from, to)
+      #
+      # Gitaly note: JV: to be deprecated in favor of Commit.between
+      def rugged_commits_between(from, to)
         walker = Rugged::Walker.new(rugged)
         walker.sorting(Rugged::SORT_NONE | Rugged::SORT_REVERSE)
 
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/git/repository_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/git/repository_spec.rb
index 8e4a1f31ced..e375dbfc078 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/git/repository_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/git/repository_spec.rb
@@ -757,13 +757,13 @@ describe Gitlab::Git::Repository, seed_helper: true do
     end
   end
 
-  describe "#commits_between" do
+  describe "#rugged_commits_between" do
     context 'two SHAs' do
       let(:first_sha) { 'b0e52af38d7ea43cf41d8a6f2471351ac036d6c9' }
       let(:second_sha) { '0e50ec4d3c7ce42ab74dda1d422cb2cbffe1e326' }
 
       it 'returns the number of commits between' do
-        expect(repository.commits_between(first_sha, second_sha).count).to eq(3)
+        expect(repository.rugged_commits_between(first_sha, second_sha).count).to eq(3)
       end
     end
 
@@ -772,11 +772,11 @@ describe Gitlab::Git::Repository, seed_helper: true do
       let(:branch) { 'master' }
 
       it 'returns the number of commits between a sha and a branch' do
-        expect(repository.commits_between(sha, branch).count).to eq(5)
+        expect(repository.rugged_commits_between(sha, branch).count).to eq(5)
       end
 
       it 'returns the number of commits between a branch and a sha' do
-        expect(repository.commits_between(branch, sha).count).to eq(0) # sha is before branch
+        expect(repository.rugged_commits_between(branch, sha).count).to eq(0) # sha is before branch
       end
     end
 
@@ -785,7 +785,7 @@ describe Gitlab::Git::Repository, seed_helper: true do
       let(:second_branch) { 'master' }
 
       it 'returns the number of commits between' do
-        expect(repository.commits_between(first_branch, second_branch).count).to eq(17)
+        expect(repository.rugged_commits_between(first_branch, second_branch).count).to eq(17)
       end
     end
   end