How to fix error: stash@{5} is not a valid reference in Git

First, check what stashes actually exist in your repository:

git stash list

Example output:

stash@{0}: WIP on main: abc1234 Add new feature
stash@{1}: WIP on main: def5678 Fix bug
stash@{2}: WIP on develop: 9876fed Work in progress

In this example, only stash indices 0, 1, and 2 exist. Trying to access stash@{3} or higher would result in the "not a valid reference" error.

If the list is empty, you have no stashes at all. The stash you're looking for may have been dropped, popped, or never created.

Many shells interpret curly braces {} as special characters. Quoting the reference ensures Git receives it correctly.

For Bash/Zsh/Linux/Mac:

# Use single quotes
git stash apply 'stash@{0}'

# Or use double quotes
git stash drop "stash@{0}"

# Or escape the braces
git stash show stash@\{0\}

For PowerShell (Windows):

# Use single quotes
git stash apply 'stash@{0}'

# Or use backticks to escape
git stash apply stash@`{0`}

# Or use the -- separator
git stash apply -- 'stash@{0}'

For cmd.exe (Windows Command Prompt):

# Curly braces don't need escaping in cmd
git stash apply stash@{0}

If quoting resolves the issue, consider adding a shell alias for convenience.

Some Git commands accept a simple numeric index instead of the full stash@{n} syntax:

# Apply stash by index (some versions support this)
git stash apply --index 0

# For dropping, you can use reflog delete
git reflog delete stash@{0}

Alternative approach using the stash's commit SHA:

# Find the commit hash of the stash
git reflog show stash

# Output example:
# abc1234 stash@{0}: WIP on main: abc1234 Add feature
# def5678 stash@{1}: WIP on main: def5678 Fix bug

# Apply using the commit hash directly
git stash apply abc1234

Using the commit hash bypasses the reference parsing entirely.

If your stash reflog is corrupted (often after git filter-branch or interrupted operations), you may need to repair or clear it.

Option 1: Clear all stashes (if data loss is acceptable):

git stash clear

Warning: This permanently deletes ALL stashes. Only use if you don't need the stashed changes.

Option 2: Delete specific corrupted stash entries:

# Delete a specific stash entry from the reflog
# Work in reverse order (highest index first) to avoid shifting issues
git reflog delete stash@{2}
git reflog delete stash@{1}
git reflog delete stash@{0}

Option 3: Remove the corrupted stash log file:

# Backup first
cp .git/logs/refs/stash .git/logs/refs/stash.backup

# Remove the log file
rm .git/logs/refs/stash

# Git stash should work again (but existing stashes will be lost)
git stash list

Option 4: Also remove stash.lock if it exists:

rm -f .git/refs/stash.lock
rm -f .git/logs/refs/stash.lock

If you accidentally dropped a stash or it disappeared due to corruption, you may be able to recover it from the reflog.

Step 1: Find the lost stash commit:

# Show stash reflog history
git reflog show stash

# If that doesn't work, search the general reflog
git reflog | grep -i stash

# Or search for dangling commits
git fsck --unreachable | grep commit

Step 2: Verify it's the right commit:

# Show what changes the commit contains
git show <commit_hash>

Step 3: Re-add the commit to the stash:

# Add the commit back to the stash reference
git update-ref refs/stash <commit_hash>

# Verify it's restored
git stash list

Step 4: Apply the recovered stash:

git stash apply

Note: Stash commits have a specific structure with multiple parents. The recovery creates a simple reference, which works for git stash apply but some edge cases may behave differently.

If your repository is in a cloud-synced folder (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud), file conflicts can create duplicate or corrupted stash files.

Check for duplicate stash files:

# Look for unusual files in refs
ls -la .git/refs/

# Check for files like "stash (1)" or "stash (2)"
find .git -name "stash*" -type f

Remove duplicate files:

# If you find files like .git/refs/stash (1)
rm ".git/refs/stash (1)"
rm ".git/logs/refs/stash (1)"

Best practice: Avoid storing Git repositories in cloud-synced folders. The constant syncing can cause file locks and conflicts. Instead:

1. Keep repositories in a non-synced location
2. Use Git remotes (GitHub, GitLab, etc.) for backup and sync
3. If you must use cloud storage, consider pausing sync during Git operations

After applying fixes, verify that stash operations work correctly:

# List current stashes
git stash list

# Create a test stash
echo "test" > test-stash-file.txt
git stash push -m "Test stash"

# Verify the test stash was created
git stash list

# Apply and drop the test stash
git stash pop

# Clean up
rm test-stash-file.txt

If issues persist:

1. Check if the repository itself is corrupted:

git fsck --full

2. Consider cloning a fresh copy if the repo is available remotely:

git clone <remote-url> fresh-clone
cd fresh-clone

3. If this is a shared or CI environment, ensure proper Git configuration and permissions.