diff --git a/modules/git/repo_ref.go b/modules/git/repo_ref.go
index 8eaa17cb0..b0c602c6a 100644
--- a/modules/git/repo_ref.go
+++ b/modules/git/repo_ref.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package git
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/util"
@@ -61,3 +62,19 @@ func parseTags(refs []string) []string {
 	}
 	return results
 }
+
+// ExpandRef expands any partial reference to its full form
+func (repo *Repository) ExpandRef(ref string) (string, error) {
+	if strings.HasPrefix(ref, "refs/") {
+		return ref, nil
+	} else if strings.HasPrefix(ref, "tags/") || strings.HasPrefix(ref, "heads/") {
+		return "refs/" + ref, nil
+	} else if repo.IsTagExist(ref) {
+		return TagPrefix + ref, nil
+	} else if repo.IsBranchExist(ref) {
+		return BranchPrefix + ref, nil
+	} else if repo.IsCommitExist(ref) {
+		return ref, nil
+	}
+	return "", fmt.Errorf("could not expand reference '%s'", ref)
+}
diff --git a/services/actions/workflows.go b/services/actions/workflows.go
index deff7e7dd..726b56f46 100644
--- a/services/actions/workflows.go
+++ b/services/actions/workflows.go
@@ -141,6 +141,11 @@ func (entry *Workflow) Dispatch(ctx context.Context, inputGetter InputValueGette
 }
 
 func GetWorkflowFromCommit(gitRepo *git.Repository, ref, workflowID string) (*Workflow, error) {
+	ref, err := gitRepo.ExpandRef(ref)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	commit, err := gitRepo.GetCommit(ref)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/tests/integration/actions_trigger_test.go b/tests/integration/actions_trigger_test.go
index 5309ebef2..67dd3247b 100644
--- a/tests/integration/actions_trigger_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/actions_trigger_test.go
@@ -426,8 +426,10 @@ func TestWorkflowDispatchEvent(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 		defer gitRepo.Close()
 
-		workflow, err := actions_service.GetWorkflowFromCommit(gitRepo, sha, "dispatch.yml")
+		workflow, err := actions_service.GetWorkflowFromCommit(gitRepo, "main", "dispatch.yml")
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, "refs/heads/main", workflow.Ref)
+		assert.Equal(t, sha, workflow.Commit.ID.String())
 
 		inputGetter := func(key string) string {
 			return ""