diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 4fec29e660..9fb1061d52 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -859,6 +859,7 @@ static int is_root_ref_syntax(const char *refname)
 int is_root_ref(const char *refname)
 {
 	static const char *const irregular_root_refs[] = {
+		"HEAD",
 		"AUTO_MERGE",
 		"BISECT_EXPECTED_REV",
 		"NOTES_MERGE_PARTIAL",
@@ -880,14 +881,6 @@ int is_root_ref(const char *refname)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int is_headref(struct ref_store *refs, const char *refname)
-{
-	if (!strcmp(refname, "HEAD"))
-		return refs_ref_exists(refs, refname);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int is_current_worktree_ref(const char *ref) {
 	return is_root_ref_syntax(ref) || is_per_worktree_ref(ref);
 }
diff --git a/refs.h b/refs.h
index 8a574a22c7..8489b45265 100644
--- a/refs.h
+++ b/refs.h
@@ -1060,7 +1060,8 @@ void update_ref_namespace(enum ref_namespace namespace, char *ref);
  *
  *   - Their name must be all-uppercase or underscores ("_").
  *
- *   - Their name must end with "_HEAD".
+ *   - Their name must end with "_HEAD". As a special rule, "HEAD" is a root
+ *     ref, as well.
  *
  *   - Their name may not contain a slash.
  *
@@ -1079,6 +1080,4 @@ void update_ref_namespace(enum ref_namespace namespace, char *ref);
  */
 int is_root_ref(const char *refname);
 
-int is_headref(struct ref_store *refs, const char *refname);
-
 #endif /* REFS_H */
diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index 06240ce327..6f9a631592 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -351,8 +351,7 @@ static void add_pseudoref_and_head_entries(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 		strbuf_addstr(&refname, de->d_name);
 
 		dtype = get_dtype(de, &path, 1);
-		if (dtype == DT_REG && (is_root_ref(de->d_name) ||
-					is_headref(ref_store, de->d_name)))
+		if (dtype == DT_REG && is_root_ref(de->d_name))
 			loose_fill_ref_dir_regular_file(refs, refname.buf, dir);
 
 		strbuf_setlen(&refname, dirnamelen);
diff --git a/refs/reftable-backend.c b/refs/reftable-backend.c
index c11ba95736..b6668e7c7e 100644
--- a/refs/reftable-backend.c
+++ b/refs/reftable-backend.c
@@ -356,8 +356,7 @@ static int reftable_ref_iterator_advance(struct ref_iterator *ref_iterator)
 		 */
 		if (!starts_with(iter->ref.refname, "refs/") &&
 		    !(iter->flags & DO_FOR_EACH_INCLUDE_ROOT_REFS &&
-		     (is_root_ref(iter->ref.refname) ||
-		      is_headref(&iter->refs->base, iter->ref.refname)))) {
+		      is_root_ref(iter->ref.refname))) {
 			continue;
 		}