diff --git a/app/models/ci/pipeline.rb b/app/models/ci/pipeline.rb
index c93f0e0cd55..aeee7f0a5d2 100644
--- a/app/models/ci/pipeline.rb
+++ b/app/models/ci/pipeline.rb
@@ -270,6 +270,8 @@ module Ci
 
     def ref_exists?
       project.repository.ref_exists?(git_ref)
+    rescue Gitlab::Git::Repository::NoRepository
+      false
     end
 
     ##
diff --git a/spec/features/projects/pipelines/pipeline_spec.rb b/spec/features/projects/pipelines/pipeline_spec.rb
index 5734c7e355e..cd6c37bf54d 100644
--- a/spec/features/projects/pipelines/pipeline_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/projects/pipelines/pipeline_spec.rb
@@ -241,9 +241,12 @@ describe 'Pipeline', :js do
       end
     end
 
-    context 'with deleted branch' do
-      before do
-        allow(pipeline).to receive(:ref_exists?).and_return(false)
+    context 'when pipeline ref does not exist in repository anymore' do
+      let(:pipeline) do
+        create(:ci_empty_pipeline, project: project,
+                                   ref: 'non-existent',
+                                   sha: project.commit.id,
+                                   user: user)
       end
 
       it 'does not render link to the pipeline ref' do
diff --git a/spec/models/ci/pipeline_spec.rb b/spec/models/ci/pipeline_spec.rb
index 06f000a7118..153244b2159 100644
--- a/spec/models/ci/pipeline_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/ci/pipeline_spec.rb
@@ -780,24 +780,36 @@ describe Ci::Pipeline, :mailer do
   end
 
   describe 'ref_exists?' do
-    using RSpec::Parameterized::TableSyntax
+    context 'when repository exists' do
+      using RSpec::Parameterized::TableSyntax
 
-    let(:project) { create(:project, :repository) }
+      let(:project) { create(:project, :repository) }
 
-    where(:tag, :ref, :result) do
-      false | 'master'              | true
-      false | 'non-existent-branch' | false
-      true  | 'v1.1.0'              | true
-      true  | 'non-existent-tag'    | false
-    end
-
-    with_them do
-      let(:pipeline) do
-        create(:ci_empty_pipeline, project: project, tag: tag, ref: ref)
+      where(:tag, :ref, :result) do
+        false | 'master'              | true
+        false | 'non-existent-branch' | false
+        true  | 'v1.1.0'              | true
+        true  | 'non-existent-tag'    | false
       end
 
-      it "correctly detects ref" do
-        expect(pipeline.ref_exists?).to be result
+      with_them do
+        let(:pipeline) do
+          create(:ci_empty_pipeline, project: project, tag: tag, ref: ref)
+        end
+
+        it "correctly detects ref" do
+          expect(pipeline.ref_exists?).to be result
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when repository does not exist' do
+      let(:pipeline) do
+        create(:ci_empty_pipeline, project: project, ref: 'master')
+      end
+
+      it 'always returns false' do
+        expect(pipeline.ref_exists?).to eq false
       end
     end
   end