diff --git a/pagure/lib/git.py b/pagure/lib/git.py
index 5702b79..0199dcf 100644
--- a/pagure/lib/git.py
+++ b/pagure/lib/git.py
@@ -2512,6 +2512,18 @@ def new_git_branch(
         tempclone.push(username, branch, branch)
 
 
+def git_set_ref_head(project, branch):
+    """ Set the HEAD reference of the project
+    :arg project: The project instance to set the HEAD reference
+    :arg branch: The branch to be set as HEAD reference
+    """
+    repo_path = pagure.utils.get_repo_path(project)
+    repo_obj = PagureRepo(repo_path)
+
+    reference = repo_obj.lookup_reference("refs/heads/%s" % branch).resolve()
+    repo_obj.set_head(reference.name)
+
+
 def delete_project_repos(project):
     """ Deletes the actual git repositories on disk or repoSpanner
 
diff --git a/pagure/ui/repo.py b/pagure/ui/repo.py
index 88ca471..5630ad3 100644
--- a/pagure/ui/repo.py
+++ b/pagure/ui/repo.py
@@ -1631,10 +1631,7 @@ def change_ref_head(repo, username=None, namespace=None):
     if form.validate_on_submit():
         branchname = form.branches.data
         try:
-            reference = repo_obj.lookup_reference(
-                "refs/heads/%s" % branchname
-            ).resolve()
-            repo_obj.set_head(reference.name)
+            pagure.lib.git.git_set_ref_head(project=repo, branch=branchname)
             flask.flash("Default branch updated to %s" % branchname)
         except Exception as err:  # pragma: no cover
             _log.exception(err)