This Git error occurs when rebasing onto a branch reference that Git cannot resolve to a valid commit. It typically happens when the remote branch has not been fetched locally or the branch name is misspelled.
This error means Git cannot find a valid commit object for the reference you specified in your rebase command. When you run `git rebase origin/main` or similar commands, Git needs to resolve that reference to an actual commit SHA in your repository. The error occurs because Git maintains references (refs) that point to commit objects. When a reference like `origin/main` doesn't exist locally or points to a non-existent commit, Git cannot proceed with the rebase operation. Common scenarios include: - Running rebase before fetching remote changes - The remote branch was renamed or deleted - A shallow clone that lacks the required commit history - Corrupted Git references in the .git directory
Before rebasing, ensure you have the latest remote references:
git fetch originOr fetch all remotes:
git fetch --allThis downloads remote branch references without merging them into your local branches.
List all available branches to confirm the target exists:
# List all local and remote branches
git branch -a
# Or list just remote branches
git branch -rLook for origin/main or origin/master in the output. If the branch you need isn't listed, you may need to fetch or check the correct branch name.
Always use the full remote/branch syntax instead of just the remote name:
# Correct - explicit branch reference
git rebase origin/main
# Incorrect - may fail if origin/HEAD is not set
git rebase originUsing the explicit form avoids issues with unset remote HEAD references.
If you want origin to resolve to a default branch, set the remote HEAD:
git remote set-head origin mainThis creates a symbolic reference at .git/refs/remotes/origin/HEAD pointing to the specified branch.
If you're working with a shallow clone (common in CI), convert it to a full clone:
# Unshallow the repository
git fetch --unshallow
# Or fetch with full depth in CI
git fetch --depth=0In GitHub Actions, set fetch-depth: 0 in your checkout step:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
with:
fetch-depth: 0If you're stuck in a failed rebase state, abort and try again:
git rebase --abortThis returns your branch to its state before the rebase was attempted.
### Understanding Git References
Git uses a reference system where branch names are pointers to commit SHAs. The .git/refs/ directory contains these mappings:
- .git/refs/heads/ - Local branches
- .git/refs/remotes/ - Remote-tracking branches
- .git/refs/tags/ - Tags
When Git says a reference "does not point to a valid commit," it means either the ref file doesn't exist or contains an invalid/missing commit SHA.
### Debugging with git reflog
Use git reflog to see recent reference updates and find valid commit SHAs:
git reflog show origin/main### Repairing Corrupted References
If references are corrupted, you may need to:
1. Delete the corrupted ref file manually from .git/refs/
2. Run git fetch origin to recreate remote refs
3. In severe cases, re-clone the repository
### Alternative: Using Commit SHA Directly
If branch references are problematic, you can rebase onto a specific commit SHA:
git rebase abc1234Find the SHA using git log or from your Git hosting platform.
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