diff --git a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/wholeTree/DetailsCache.java b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/wholeTree/DetailsCache.java
index af47ebbbfcdb..b78613ea66ef 100644
--- a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/wholeTree/DetailsCache.java
+++ b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/wholeTree/DetailsCache.java
@@ -101,11 +101,10 @@ public class DetailsCache {
     }
   }
 
-  @NotNull
+  @Nullable
   public List<String> getBranches(final VirtualFile root, final AbstractHash hash) {
     synchronized (myLock) {
-      List<String> branches = myBranches.get(new Pair<VirtualFile, AbstractHash>(root, hash));
-      return branches == null ? Collections.<String>emptyList() : branches;
+      return myBranches.get(new Pair<VirtualFile, AbstractHash>(root, hash));
     }
   }
 
@@ -157,8 +156,7 @@ public class DetailsCache {
                   @Override
                   public void run(@NotNull ProgressIndicator indicator) {
                     if (!recheck.process(abstractHash)) return;
-                    List<String> branches1 = getBranches(root, abstractHash);
-                    if (branches1 != null && ! branches1.isEmpty()) return;
+                    if (getBranches(root, abstractHash) != null) return;
                     List<String> branches;
                     try {
                       branches = new LowLevelAccessImpl(myProject, root).getBranchesWithCommit(abstractHash.getString());
diff --git a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/wholeTree/GitLogUI.java b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/wholeTree/GitLogUI.java
index bd2e523d44fd..5f2dc82d4777 100644
--- a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/wholeTree/GitLogUI.java
+++ b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/history/wholeTree/GitLogUI.java
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ public class GitLogUI implements Disposable {
         if (commitI == null) return;
         final VirtualFile root = commitI.selectRepository(myRootsUnderVcs);
         final List<String> branches = myDetailsCache.getBranches(root, commitI.getHash());
-        if (branches != null && ! branches.isEmpty()) {
+        if (branches != null) {
           try {
             myBranchesLoader.take(commitI, branches);
           }
@@ -1050,7 +1050,8 @@ public class GitLogUI implements Disposable {
         @NotNull
         @Override
         public List<String> getContainingBranches(@NotNull VirtualFile root, @NotNull AbstractHash commitHash) {
-          return myDetailsCache.getBranches(root, commitHash);
+          List<String> branches = myDetailsCache.getBranches(root, commitHash);
+          return branches == null ? Collections.<String>emptyList() : branches;
         }
       };
     }