diff --git a/java/com/google/gitiles/VisibilityChecker.java b/java/com/google/gitiles/VisibilityChecker.java
index 22d08bc..ccd5cf1 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gitiles/VisibilityChecker.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gitiles/VisibilityChecker.java
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.IncorrectObjectTypeException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.MissingObjectException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
-import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.RefDatabase;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.revwalk.RevCommit;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.revwalk.RevSort;
@@ -81,14 +80,7 @@
   protected boolean isTipOfBranch(RefDatabase refDb, ObjectId id) throws IOException {
     // If any reference directly points at the requested object, permit display. Common for displays
     // of pending patch sets in Gerrit Code Review, or bookmarks to the commit a tag points at.
-    for (Ref ref : refDb.getRefs()) {
-      ref = refDb.peel(ref);
-      if (id.equals(ref.getObjectId()) || id.equals(ref.getPeeledObjectId())) {
-        return true;
-      }
-    }
-
-    return false;
+    return !refDb.getTipsWithSha1(id).isEmpty();
   }
 
   /**