diff --git a/git_superproject.py b/git_superproject.py
index 665b596ec..d1166fe7c 100644
--- a/git_superproject.py
+++ b/git_superproject.py
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ from git_command import git_require
 from git_command import GitCommand
 from git_config import IsId
 from git_config import RepoConfig
-from git_refs import GitRefs
 import platform_utils
 
 
@@ -189,7 +188,7 @@ class Superproject:
             if netloc:
                 parts = netloc.split("-review", 1)
                 host = parts[0]
-                rev = GitRefs(self._work_git).get("HEAD")
+                rev = self._GetRef("HEAD")
                 return f"{host}/{self.name}@{rev}"
         return None
 
@@ -314,7 +313,10 @@ class Superproject:
         # We use --negotiation-tip to speed up the fetch. Superproject branches
         # do not share commits. So this lets git know it only needs to send
         # commits reachable from the specified local refs.
-        rev_commit = GitRefs(self._work_git).get(f"refs/heads/{self.revision}")
+        negotiation_ref = self.revision
+        if negotiation_ref and not negotiation_ref.startswith("refs/"):
+            negotiation_ref = f"refs/heads/{negotiation_ref}"
+        rev_commit = self._GetRef(negotiation_ref) if negotiation_ref else ""
         if rev_commit:
             cmd.extend(["--negotiation-tip", rev_commit])
 
@@ -347,6 +349,21 @@ class Superproject:
             return False
         return True
 
+    def _GetRef(self, ref: str) -> str:
+        """Resolve one local ref without loading the entire ref namespace."""
+        p = GitCommand(
+            None,
+            ["rev-parse", "--verify", "--quiet", ref],
+            gitdir=self._work_git,
+            bare=True,
+            capture_stdout=True,
+            capture_stderr=True,
+            log_as_error=False,
+        )
+        if p.Wait() == 0:
+            return p.stdout.strip()
+        return ""
+
     def _LsTree(self):
         """Gets the commit ids for all projects.
 
diff --git a/tests/test_git_superproject.py b/tests/test_git_superproject.py
index 1c22466bd..c28eb8ded 100644
--- a/tests/test_git_superproject.py
+++ b/tests/test_git_superproject.py
@@ -542,14 +542,15 @@ class SuperprojectTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
             with mock.patch(
                 "git_superproject.GitCommand", autospec=True
             ) as mock_git_command:
-                with mock.patch(
-                    "git_superproject.GitRefs.get", autospec=True
-                ) as mock_git_refs:
+                with mock.patch.object(
+                    self._superproject, "_GetRef"
+                ) as get_ref:
                     instance = mock_git_command.return_value
                     instance.Wait.return_value = 0
-                    mock_git_refs.side_effect = ["", "1234"]
+                    get_ref.side_effect = ["", "1234"]
 
                     self.assertTrue(self._superproject._Fetch())
+                    get_ref.assert_called_with("refs/heads/main")
                     self.assertEqual(
                         # TODO: Once we require Python 3.8+,
                         #  use 'mock_git_command.call_args.args'.
@@ -572,6 +573,7 @@ class SuperprojectTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
                     # If branch for revision exists, set as --negotiation-tip.
                     self.assertTrue(self._superproject._Fetch())
+                    get_ref.assert_called_with("refs/heads/main")
                     self.assertEqual(
                         # TODO: Once we require Python 3.8+,
                         #  use 'mock_git_command.call_args.args'.
@@ -593,3 +595,21 @@ class SuperprojectTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
                             ],
                         ),
                     )
+
+    def test_GetRef_resolves_only_the_requested_ref(self) -> None:
+        command = mock.MagicMock(stdout="1234\n")
+        command.Wait.return_value = 0
+        with mock.patch(
+            "git_superproject.GitCommand", return_value=command
+        ) as git_command:
+            self.assertEqual("1234", self._superproject._GetRef("HEAD"))
+
+        git_command.assert_called_once_with(
+            None,
+            ["rev-parse", "--verify", "--quiet", "HEAD"],
+            gitdir=self._superproject._work_git,
+            bare=True,
+            capture_stdout=True,
+            capture_stderr=True,
+            log_as_error=False,
+        )