diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/FileSnapshot.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/FileSnapshot.java
index d7f6ef316..87d6a3ae7 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/FileSnapshot.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/FileSnapshot.java
@@ -407,15 +407,6 @@ public boolean equals(Object obj) {
 		return equals(other);
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Check if the file exists
-	 *
-	 * @return true if the file exists
-	 */
-	public boolean fileExists() {
-		return !MISSING_FILEKEY.equals(this.fileKey);
-	}
-
 	/** {@inheritDoc} */
 	@Override
 	public int hashCode() {
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectory.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectory.java
index 2167262dd..07e38147f 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectory.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/file/RefDirectory.java
@@ -1092,10 +1092,6 @@ LooseRef scanRef(LooseRef ref, String name) throws IOException {
 		final int limit = 4096;
 		final byte[] buf;
 		FileSnapshot otherSnapshot = FileSnapshot.save(path);
-		if (!otherSnapshot.fileExists()) {
-			return null;
-		}
-
 		try {
 			buf = IO.readSome(path, limit);
 		} catch (FileNotFoundException noFile) {