diff --git a/models/issues/stopwatch.go b/models/issues/stopwatch.go
index 6bf936c5d41b..c8cd5ad33f26 100644
--- a/models/issues/stopwatch.go
+++ b/models/issues/stopwatch.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/db"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/repo"
 	user_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/user"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/timeutil"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/util"
@@ -132,12 +133,26 @@ func StopwatchExists(userID, issueID int64) bool {
 }
 
 // HasUserStopwatch returns true if the user has a stopwatch
-func HasUserStopwatch(ctx context.Context, userID int64) (exists bool, sw *Stopwatch, err error) {
-	sw = new(Stopwatch)
+func HasUserStopwatch(ctx context.Context, userID int64) (exists bool, sw *Stopwatch, issue *Issue, err error) {
+	type stopwatchIssueRepo struct {
+		Stopwatch       `xorm:"extends"`
+		Issue           `xorm:"extends"`
+		repo.Repository `xorm:"extends"`
+	}
+
+	swIR := new(stopwatchIssueRepo)
 	exists, err = db.GetEngine(ctx).
+		Table("stopwatch").
 		Where("user_id = ?", userID).
-		Get(sw)
-	return exists, sw, err
+		Join("INNER", "issue", "issue.id = stopwatch.issue_id").
+		Join("INNER", "repository", "repository.id = issue.repo_id").
+		Get(swIR)
+	if exists {
+		sw = &swIR.Stopwatch
+		issue = &swIR.Issue
+		issue.Repo = &swIR.Repository
+	}
+	return exists, sw, issue, err
 }
 
 // FinishIssueStopwatchIfPossible if stopwatch exist then finish it otherwise ignore
@@ -217,23 +232,18 @@ func CreateIssueStopwatch(ctx context.Context, user *user_model.User, issue *Iss
 	}
 
 	// if another stopwatch is running: stop it
-	exists, sw, err := HasUserStopwatch(ctx, user.ID)
+	exists, _, otherIssue, err := HasUserStopwatch(ctx, user.ID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	if exists {
-		issue, err := GetIssueByID(ctx, sw.IssueID)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		if err := FinishIssueStopwatch(ctx, user, issue); err != nil {
+		if err := FinishIssueStopwatch(ctx, user, otherIssue); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
 
 	// Create stopwatch
-	sw = &Stopwatch{
+	sw := &Stopwatch{
 		UserID:  user.ID,
 		IssueID: issue.ID,
 	}
diff --git a/models/issues/stopwatch_test.go b/models/issues/stopwatch_test.go
index ec2778aa81f5..ea3827a1f64e 100644
--- a/models/issues/stopwatch_test.go
+++ b/models/issues/stopwatch_test.go
@@ -45,12 +45,12 @@ func TestStopwatchExists(t *testing.T) {
 func TestHasUserStopwatch(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NoError(t, unittest.PrepareTestDatabase())
 
-	exists, sw, err := issues_model.HasUserStopwatch(db.DefaultContext, 1)
+	exists, sw, _, err := issues_model.HasUserStopwatch(db.DefaultContext, 1)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.True(t, exists)
 	assert.Equal(t, int64(1), sw.ID)
 
-	exists, _, err = issues_model.HasUserStopwatch(db.DefaultContext, 3)
+	exists, _, _, err = issues_model.HasUserStopwatch(db.DefaultContext, 3)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.False(t, exists)
 }
diff --git a/routers/web/repo/issue.go b/routers/web/repo/issue.go
index 745d6e70a0c2..e4f94006155a 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/issue.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/issue.go
@@ -1432,25 +1432,16 @@ func ViewIssue(ctx *context.Context) {
 			ctx.Data["IsStopwatchRunning"] = issues_model.StopwatchExists(ctx.Doer.ID, issue.ID)
 			if !ctx.Data["IsStopwatchRunning"].(bool) {
 				var exists bool
-				var sw *issues_model.Stopwatch
-				if exists, sw, err = issues_model.HasUserStopwatch(ctx, ctx.Doer.ID); err != nil {
+				var swIssue *issues_model.Issue
+				if exists, _, swIssue, err = issues_model.HasUserStopwatch(ctx, ctx.Doer.ID); err != nil {
 					ctx.ServerError("HasUserStopwatch", err)
 					return
 				}
 				ctx.Data["HasUserStopwatch"] = exists
 				if exists {
 					// Add warning if the user has already a stopwatch
-					var otherIssue *issues_model.Issue
-					if otherIssue, err = issues_model.GetIssueByID(ctx, sw.IssueID); err != nil {
-						ctx.ServerError("GetIssueByID", err)
-						return
-					}
-					if err = otherIssue.LoadRepo(ctx); err != nil {
-						ctx.ServerError("LoadRepo", err)
-						return
-					}
 					// Add link to the issue of the already running stopwatch
-					ctx.Data["OtherStopwatchURL"] = otherIssue.Link()
+					ctx.Data["OtherStopwatchURL"] = swIssue.Link()
 				}
 			}
 			ctx.Data["CanUseTimetracker"] = ctx.Repo.CanUseTimetracker(issue, ctx.Doer)
diff --git a/routers/web/repo/issue_stopwatch.go b/routers/web/repo/issue_stopwatch.go
index 3d20b08b4950..3e715437e6c6 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/issue_stopwatch.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/issue_stopwatch.go
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func GetActiveStopwatch(ctx *context.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	_, sw, err := issues_model.HasUserStopwatch(ctx, ctx.Doer.ID)
+	_, sw, issue, err := issues_model.HasUserStopwatch(ctx, ctx.Doer.ID)
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.ServerError("HasUserStopwatch", err)
 		return
@@ -96,18 +96,6 @@ func GetActiveStopwatch(ctx *context.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	issue, err := issues_model.GetIssueByID(ctx, sw.IssueID)
-	if err != nil || issue == nil {
-		if !issues_model.IsErrIssueNotExist(err) {
-			ctx.ServerError("GetIssueByID", err)
-		}
-		return
-	}
-	if err = issue.LoadRepo(ctx); err != nil {
-		ctx.ServerError("LoadRepo", err)
-		return
-	}
-
 	ctx.Data["ActiveStopwatch"] = StopwatchTmplInfo{
 		issue.Link(),
 		issue.Repo.FullName(),