diff --git a/modules/context/repo.go b/modules/context/repo.go
index c363c36994..1a83c49e95 100644
--- a/modules/context/repo.go
+++ b/modules/context/repo.go
@@ -1089,6 +1089,9 @@ func (ctx *Context) IssueTemplatesErrorsFromDefaultBranch() ([]*api.IssueTemplat
 			if it, err := template.UnmarshalFromEntry(entry, dirName); err != nil {
 				invalidFiles[fullName] = err
 			} else {
+				if !strings.HasPrefix(it.Ref, "refs/") { // Assume that the ref intended is always a branch - for tags users should use refs/tags/<ref>
+					it.Ref = git.BranchPrefix + it.Ref
+				}
 				issueTemplates = append(issueTemplates, it)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/modules/git/utils.go b/modules/git/utils.go
index d6bf9f4413..a439dabae1 100644
--- a/modules/git/utils.go
+++ b/modules/git/utils.go
@@ -100,6 +100,9 @@ func RefURL(repoURL, ref string) string {
 		return repoURL + "/src/branch/" + refName
 	case strings.HasPrefix(ref, TagPrefix):
 		return repoURL + "/src/tag/" + refName
+	case !IsValidSHAPattern(ref):
+		// assume they mean a branch
+		return repoURL + "/src/branch/" + refName
 	default:
 		return repoURL + "/src/commit/" + refName
 	}
diff --git a/routers/web/repo/issue.go b/routers/web/repo/issue.go
index a62084fdca..318d9af703 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/issue.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/issue.go
@@ -784,6 +784,10 @@ func setTemplateIfExists(ctx *context.Context, ctxDataKey string, possibleFiles
 					}
 				}
 			}
+
+		}
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(template.Ref, "refs/") { // Assume that the ref intended is always a branch - for tags users should use refs/tags/<ref>
+			template.Ref = git.BranchPrefix + template.Ref
 		}
 		ctx.Data["HasSelectedLabel"] = len(labelIDs) > 0
 		ctx.Data["label_ids"] = strings.Join(labelIDs, ",")
diff --git a/services/issue/issue.go b/services/issue/issue.go
index ba9b17a0c8..9ec43f8264 100644
--- a/services/issue/issue.go
+++ b/services/issue/issue.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/git"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/notification"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/storage"
-	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/util"
 )
 
 // NewIssue creates new issue with labels for repository.
@@ -201,7 +200,7 @@ func GetRefEndNamesAndURLs(issues []*issues_model.Issue, repoLink string) (map[i
 	for _, issue := range issues {
 		if issue.Ref != "" {
 			issueRefEndNames[issue.ID] = git.RefEndName(issue.Ref)
-			issueRefURLs[issue.ID] = git.RefURL(repoLink, util.PathEscapeSegments(issue.Ref))
+			issueRefURLs[issue.ID] = git.RefURL(repoLink, issue.Ref)
 		}
 	}
 	return issueRefEndNames, issueRefURLs