diff --git a/modules/git/repo.go b/modules/git/repo.go
index 5dca619ef6..ec95bc7a81 100644
--- a/modules/git/repo.go
+++ b/modules/git/repo.go
@@ -80,20 +80,19 @@ func InitRepository(repoPath string, bare bool) error {
 // IsEmpty Check if repository is empty.
 func (repo *Repository) IsEmpty() (bool, error) {
 	var errbuf, output strings.Builder
-	if err := NewCommandContext(repo.Ctx, "rev-list", "--all", "--count", "--max-count=1").RunWithContext(&RunContext{
+	if err := NewCommandContext(repo.Ctx, "show-ref", "--head", "^HEAD$").RunWithContext(&RunContext{
 		Timeout: -1,
 		Dir:     repo.Path,
 		Stdout:  &output,
 		Stderr:  &errbuf,
 	}); err != nil {
+		if err.Error() == "exit status 1" && errbuf.String() == "" {
+			return true, nil
+		}
 		return true, fmt.Errorf("check empty: %v - %s", err, errbuf.String())
 	}
 
-	c, err := strconv.Atoi(strings.TrimSpace(output.String()))
-	if err != nil {
-		return true, fmt.Errorf("check empty: convert %s to count failed: %v", output.String(), err)
-	}
-	return c == 0, nil
+	return strings.TrimSpace(output.String()) == "", nil
 }
 
 // CloneRepoOptions options when clone a repository