diff --git a/routers/api/v1/api.go b/routers/api/v1/api.go
index 9351cc1510ff..ce0719ddd85f 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/api.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/api.go
@@ -1014,7 +1014,7 @@ func Routes() *web.Route {
 					m.Group("/{ref}", func() {
 						m.Get("/status", repo.GetCombinedCommitStatusByRef)
 						m.Get("/statuses", repo.GetCommitStatusesByRef)
-					})
+					}, context.ReferencesGitRepo())
 				}, reqRepoReader(unit.TypeCode))
 				m.Group("/git", func() {
 					m.Group("/commits", func() {
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/utils/git.go b/routers/api/v1/utils/git.go
index 9f02bc8083f9..ac64d5b87bfe 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/utils/git.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/utils/git.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package utils
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/context"
@@ -35,12 +36,7 @@ func ResolveRefOrSha(ctx *context.APIContext, ref string) string {
 // GetGitRefs return git references based on filter
 func GetGitRefs(ctx *context.APIContext, filter string) ([]*git.Reference, string, error) {
 	if ctx.Repo.GitRepo == nil {
-		var err error
-		ctx.Repo.GitRepo, err = git.OpenRepository(ctx, ctx.Repo.Repository.RepoPath())
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, "OpenRepository", err
-		}
-		defer ctx.Repo.GitRepo.Close()
+		return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("no open git repo found in context")
 	}
 	if len(filter) > 0 {
 		filter = "refs/" + filter