diff --git a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitMergeCommand.java b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitMergeCommand.java
index 172c16dd17..1d0e8f768b 100644
--- a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitMergeCommand.java
+++ b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitMergeCommand.java
@@ -95,9 +95,10 @@ public class GitMergeCommand extends AbstractGitCommand implements MergeCommand
       }
     }
 
-    private void checkOutTargetBranch() {
+    private void checkOutTargetBranch() throws IOException {
       try {
-        clone.checkout().setName(target).call();
+        ObjectId targetRevision = resolveRevision(target);
+        clone.checkout().setName(targetRevision.getName()).call();
       } catch (RefNotFoundException e) {
         logger.debug("could not checkout target branch {} for merge", target, e);
         throw notFound(entity("revision", target).in(context.getRepository()));