diff --git a/apps/api/src/utils/git_control.py b/apps/api/src/utils/git_control.py
index becebc1..92e57ba 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/utils/git_control.py
+++ b/apps/api/src/utils/git_control.py
@@ -124,7 +124,15 @@ def create_branch(repo_path: str, name: str, base_branch: str = "HEAD") -> None:
     try:
         _run_git_command(repo_path, "rev-parse", "--verify", "HEAD^{commit}")
     except RuntimeError:
-        _run_git_command(repo_path, "checkout", "--orphan", name)
+        # No commits yet - empty repository
+        try:
+            _run_git_command(repo_path, "checkout", "--orphan", name)
+        except RuntimeError as e:
+            if "work tree" in str(e).lower():
+                # Bare repository - use symbolic-ref instead
+                _run_git_command(repo_path, "symbolic-ref", "HEAD", f"refs/heads/{name}")
+                return
+            raise
         return
 
     _run_git_command(repo_path, "branch", name, base_branch)
@@ -155,7 +163,14 @@ def checkout_branch(repo_path: str, name: str) -> None:
     Raises:
         RuntimeError: If checkout fails
     """
-    _run_git_command(repo_path, "checkout", name)
+    try:
+        _run_git_command(repo_path, "checkout", name)
+    except RuntimeError as e:
+        if "work tree" in str(e).lower():
+            # Bare repository - use symbolic-ref instead
+            _run_git_command(repo_path, "symbolic-ref", "HEAD", f"refs/heads/{name}")
+            return
+        raise
 
 
 def commit_changes(
@@ -290,6 +305,10 @@ def get_current_branch(repo_path: str) -> str:
         Current branch name
     """
     try:
-        return _run_git_command(repo_path, "rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD").strip()
+        branch = _run_git_command(repo_path, "rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD").strip()
+        if branch != "HEAD":
+            return branch
     except RuntimeError:
-        return _run_git_command(repo_path, "symbolic-ref", "--short", "HEAD").strip()
+        pass
+
+    return _run_git_command(repo_path, "symbolic-ref", "--short", "HEAD").strip()
diff --git a/apps/api/tests/integration/test_git_control.py b/apps/api/tests/integration/test_git_control.py
index a7ab139..37d5425 100644
--- a/apps/api/tests/integration/test_git_control.py
+++ b/apps/api/tests/integration/test_git_control.py
@@ -70,6 +70,20 @@ def test_get_current_branch_handles_unborn_main() -> None:
         assert get_current_branch(tmpdir) == "main"
 
 
+def test_create_branch_on_bare_repo_with_no_commits() -> None:
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+        os.system(f"git init --bare {tmpdir}/bare.git >/dev/null 2>&1")
+        create_branch(f"{tmpdir}/bare.git", "main")
+        assert get_current_branch(f"{tmpdir}/bare.git") == "main"
+
+
+def test_checkout_branch_on_bare_repo_with_no_commits() -> None:
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+        os.system(f"git init --bare {tmpdir}/bare.git >/dev/null 2>&1")
+        checkout_branch(f"{tmpdir}/bare.git", "main")
+        assert get_current_branch(f"{tmpdir}/bare.git") == "main"
+
+
 class TestBranchOperations:
     """Tests for branch management functions."""