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 487ae0601..654e98d81 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
@@ -439,6 +439,15 @@ 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 f7a52a54b..c15e26cd4 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
@@ -1103,6 +1103,10 @@ 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) {