diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/api-refs-for-commit.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/api-refs-for-commit.yml
index df8a2b0eccc..a5ed3992ef3 100644
--- a/changelogs/unreleased/api-refs-for-commit.yml
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/api-refs-for-commit.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-title: 'API: Get references a commit is pushed to'
+title: API: Get references a commit is pushed to
 merge_request: 15026
 author: Robert Schilling
 type: added
diff --git a/doc/api/commits.md b/doc/api/commits.md
index 3c12906def4..18d31ffe24d 100644
--- a/doc/api/commits.md
+++ b/doc/api/commits.md
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ Parameters:
 | --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
 | `id`      | integer/string | yes | The ID or [URL-encoded path of the project](README.md#namespaced-path-encoding) owned by the authenticated user
 | `sha` | string | yes | The commit hash  |
-| `type` | string | no | The scope of commits. Possible values `branches`, `tags`, `all`. Default is a `all`.  |
+| `type` | string | no | The scope of commits. Possible values `branches`, `tags`, `all`. Default is `all`.  |
 
 ```bash
 curl --request POST --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" --form "type=all" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects/5/repository/commits/5937ac0a7beb003549fc5fd26fc247adbce4a52e/refs"
@@ -224,11 +224,10 @@ Example response:
 
 ```json
 [
-  {"name": "'test'"},
-  {"name": "master"},
-  {"name": "v1.1.0"}
+  {"branch_name": "'test'"},
+  {"branch_name": "master"},
+  {"tag_name": "v1.1.0"}
 ]
-
 ```
 
 ## Cherry pick a commit
diff --git a/lib/api/commits.rb b/lib/api/commits.rb
index 6d845253c3a..afaf68114e8 100644
--- a/lib/api/commits.rb
+++ b/lib/api/commits.rb
@@ -171,12 +171,12 @@ module API
         refs =
           case params[:type]
           when 'branches'
-            user_project.repository.branch_names_contains(commit.id)
+            user_project.repository.branch_names_contains(commit.id).map {|branch_name| [branch_name, true]}
           when 'tags'
-            user_project.repository.tag_names_contains(commit.id)
+            user_project.repository.tag_names_contains(commit.id).map {|tag_name| [tag_name, false]}
           else
-            refs = user_project.repository.branch_names_contains(commit.id)
-            refs.concat(user_project.repository.tag_names_contains(commit.id))
+            refs = user_project.repository.branch_names_contains(commit.id).map {|branch_name| [branch_name, true]}
+            refs.concat(user_project.repository.tag_names_contains(commit.id).map {|tag_name| [tag_name, false]})
           end
 
         present refs, with: Entities::BasicRef
diff --git a/lib/api/entities.rb b/lib/api/entities.rb
index 054c04bbd98..c7a817877f0 100644
--- a/lib/api/entities.rb
+++ b/lib/api/entities.rb
@@ -277,8 +277,12 @@ module API
     end
 
     class BasicRef < Grape::Entity
-      expose :name do |ref, options|
-        ref
+      expose :branch_name, if: lambda { |ref, options| ref[1] } do |ref, options|
+        ref[0]
+      end
+
+      expose :tag_name, if: lambda { |ref, options| !ref[1] } do |ref, options|
+        ref[0]
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/commits_spec.rb b/spec/requests/api/commits_spec.rb
index 964dd7ad39e..ac25f134697 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/commits_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/api/commits_spec.rb
@@ -492,35 +492,37 @@ describe API::Commits do
       it 'returns all refs with no scope' do
         get api(route, current_user)
 
-        repo_refs = project.repository.branch_names_contains(commit_id)
-        repo_refs.push(*project.repository.tag_names_contains(commit_id))
+        branch_refs = project.repository.branch_names_contains(commit_id)
+        tag_refs = project.repository.tag_names_contains(commit_id)
 
-        expect(json_response.map { |refs| refs['name'] }).to eq(repo_refs)
+        expect(json_response.map { |refs| refs['branch_name'] }.compact).to eq(branch_refs)
+        expect(json_response.map { |refs| refs['tag_name'] }.compact).to eq(tag_refs)
       end
 
       it 'returns all refs' do
         get api(route, current_user), type: 'all'
 
-        repo_refs = project.repository.branch_names_contains(commit_id)
-        repo_refs.push(*project.repository.tag_names_contains(commit_id))
+        branch_refs = project.repository.branch_names_contains(commit_id)
+        tag_refs = project.repository.tag_names_contains(commit_id)
 
-        expect(json_response.map { |refs| refs['name'] }).to eq(repo_refs)
+        expect(json_response.map { |refs| refs['branch_name'] }.compact).to eq(branch_refs)
+        expect(json_response.map { |refs| refs['tag_name'] }.compact).to eq(tag_refs)
       end
 
       it 'returns the branch refs' do
         get api(route, current_user), type: 'branches'
 
-        repo_refs = project.repository.branch_names_contains(commit_id)
+        branch_refs = project.repository.branch_names_contains(commit_id)
 
-        expect(json_response.map { |refs| refs['name'] }).to eq(repo_refs)
+        expect(json_response.map { |refs| refs['branch_name'] }.compact).to eq(branch_refs)
       end
 
       it 'returns the tag refs' do
         get api(route, current_user), type: 'tags'
 
-        repo_refs = project.repository.tag_names_contains(commit_id)
+        tag_refs = project.repository.tag_names_contains(commit_id)
 
-        expect(json_response.map { |refs| refs['name'] }).to eq(repo_refs)
+        expect(json_response.map { |refs| refs['tag_name'] }.compact).to eq(tag_refs)
       end
     end
   end