diff --git a/scm-webapp/src/main/webapp/resources/js/repository/sonia.repository.js b/scm-webapp/src/main/webapp/resources/js/repository/sonia.repository.js
index 2a5b7d5422..d7313ea9b6 100644
--- a/scm-webapp/src/main/webapp/resources/js/repository/sonia.repository.js
+++ b/scm-webapp/src/main/webapp/resources/js/repository/sonia.repository.js
@@ -90,3 +90,40 @@ Sonia.repository.DefaultPanel = {
   bodyCssClass: 'x-panel-mc',
   html: 'Add or select an Repository'
 }
+
+// load object from store or from web service
+
+Sonia.repository.get = function(id, callback){
+  function execCallback(item){
+    if (Ext.isFunction(callback)){
+      callback(item);
+    } else {
+      callback.call(callback.scope, item);
+    }
+  }
+  
+  var grid = Ext.getCmp('repositoryGrid');
+  if ( grid ){
+    var store = grid.getStore();
+    if (store){
+      var rec = store.getById(id);
+      if (rec){
+        execCallback(rec.data);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  
+  Ext.Ajax.request({
+    url: restUrl + 'repositories/' + id + '.json',
+    method: 'GET',
+    scope: this,
+    success: function(response){
+      execCallback(Ext.decode(response.responseText));
+    },
+    failure: function(result){
+      main.handleFailure(
+        result.status
+      );
+    }
+  });
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scm-webapp/src/main/webapp/resources/js/repository/sonia.repository.repositorybrowser.js b/scm-webapp/src/main/webapp/resources/js/repository/sonia.repository.repositorybrowser.js
index c0391f9da0..cab2368ec3 100644
--- a/scm-webapp/src/main/webapp/resources/js/repository/sonia.repository.repositorybrowser.js
+++ b/scm-webapp/src/main/webapp/resources/js/repository/sonia.repository.repositorybrowser.js
@@ -344,26 +344,15 @@ Sonia.History.register('repositorybrowser', function(params){
       main.getMainTabPanel().setActiveTab(id); 
       tab.changeDirectory(path);
     } else {
-      Ext.Ajax.request({
-        url: restUrl + 'repositories/' + params[0] + '.json',
-        method: 'GET',
-        scope: this,
-        success: function(response){
-          var item = Ext.decode(response.responseText);
-          main.addTab({
-            id: id,
-            xtype: 'repositoryBrowser',
-            repository: item,
-            revision: revision,
-            path: path,
-            closable: true
-          })
-        },
-        failure: function(result){
-          main.handleFailure(
-            result.status
-          );
-        }
+      Sonia.repository.get(params[0], function(repository){
+        main.addTab({
+          id: id,
+          xtype: 'repositoryBrowser',
+          repository: repository,
+          revision: revision,
+          path: path,
+          closable: true
+        })
       });
     }
   }