diff --git a/crates/lib/src/api/client/repositories.rs b/crates/lib/src/api/client/repositories.rs
index 11da4fc04..559d248b0 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/api/client/repositories.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/api/client/repositories.rs
@@ -647,8 +647,7 @@ mod tests {
             let mock_pre_push = server.mock("POST", &path[..]).create_async().await;
 
             // Branch and commit id we're pushing
-            let branch =
-                repositories::branches::get_by_name(&local_repo, DEFAULT_BRANCH_NAME)?.unwrap();
+            let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&local_repo, DEFAULT_BRANCH_NAME)?;
             let commit_id = branch.commit_id.clone();
 
             api::client::repositories::pre_push(&remote_repo, &branch, &commit_id).await?;
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/branches.rs b/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/branches.rs
index fd55c41ab..d9edc6140 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/branches.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/branches.rs
@@ -144,8 +144,7 @@ pub async fn checkout(
     from_commit: &Option<Commit>,
 ) -> Result<(), OxenError> {
     log::debug!("checkout {branch_name}");
-    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, branch_name)?
-        .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::local_branch_not_found(branch_name))?;
+    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, branch_name)?;
 
     let commit = repositories::commits::get_by_id(repo, &branch.commit_id)?
         .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::commit_id_does_not_exist(&branch.commit_id))?;
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/commits.rs b/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/commits.rs
index 3d6742ec5..4f8bd79bd 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/commits.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/commits.rs
@@ -131,7 +131,6 @@ fn get_commit_by_ref<S: AsRef<str> + Clone>(
 fn get_commit_by_branch(repo: &LocalRepository, branch_name: &str) -> Option<Commit> {
     repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, branch_name)
         .ok()
-        .flatten()
         .and_then(|branch| get_by_id(repo, &branch.commit_id).ok().flatten())
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/merge.rs b/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/merge.rs
index d885777fa..9eef26507 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/merge.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/merge.rs
@@ -216,8 +216,7 @@ pub async fn merge(
 ) -> Result<Option<Commit>, OxenError> {
     let branch_name = branch_name.as_ref();
 
-    let merge_branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, branch_name)?
-        .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::local_branch_not_found(branch_name))?;
+    let merge_branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, branch_name)?;
 
     let base_commit = repositories::commits::head_commit(repo)?;
     let merge_commit = get_commit_or_head(repo, Some(merge_branch.commit_id.clone()))?;
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/push.rs b/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/push.rs
index 715d5f781..e1e1f55f4 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/push.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/push.rs
@@ -40,9 +40,7 @@ pub async fn push_remote_branch(
     // start a timer
     let start = std::time::Instant::now();
 
-    let Some(local_branch) = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, &opts.branch)? else {
-        return Err(OxenError::local_branch_not_found(&opts.branch));
-    };
+    let local_branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, &opts.branch)?;
 
     println!(
         "🐂 oxen push {} {} -> {}",
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/workspaces/commit.rs b/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/workspaces/commit.rs
index 4a142ffe9..d56bca083 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/workspaces/commit.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/core/v_latest/workspaces/commit.rs
@@ -33,20 +33,16 @@ pub async fn commit(
     let repo = &workspace.base_repo;
     let commit = &workspace.commit;
 
-    let mut branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, branch_name)?;
+    let branch = match repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, branch_name) {
+        Ok(branch) => branch,
+        Err(OxenError::BranchNotFound(_)) => {
+            log::debug!("commit creating branch: {branch_name}");
+            repositories::branches::create(repo, branch_name, &commit.id)?
+        }
+        Err(e) => return Err(e),
+    };
     log::debug!("commit looking up branch: {:#?}", &branch);
 
-    if branch.is_none() {
-        log::debug!("commit creating branch: {branch_name}");
-        branch = Some(repositories::branches::create(
-            repo,
-            branch_name,
-            &commit.id,
-        )?);
-    }
-
-    let branch = branch.unwrap();
-
     let staged_db_path = util::fs::oxen_hidden_dir(&workspace.workspace_repo.path).join(STAGED_DIR);
 
     log::debug!("workspaces::commit staged db path: {staged_db_path:?}");
@@ -108,10 +104,7 @@ pub fn mergeability(
     branch_name: impl AsRef<str>,
 ) -> Result<Mergeable, OxenError> {
     let branch_name = branch_name.as_ref();
-    let Some(branch) = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&workspace.base_repo, branch_name)?
-    else {
-        return Err(OxenError::BranchNotFound(branch_name.into()));
-    };
+    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&workspace.base_repo, branch_name)?;
 
     let base = &workspace.commit;
     let Some(head) = repositories::commits::get_by_id(&workspace.base_repo, &branch.commit_id)?
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/repositories/branches.rs b/crates/lib/src/repositories/branches.rs
index 579b29496..626e08bbc 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/repositories/branches.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/repositories/branches.rs
@@ -22,9 +22,10 @@ pub fn list_with_commits(repo: &LocalRepository) -> Result<Vec<(Branch, Commit)>
     with_ref_manager(repo, |manager| manager.list_branches_with_commits())
 }
 
-/// Get a branch by name
-pub fn get_by_name(repo: &LocalRepository, name: &str) -> Result<Option<Branch>, OxenError> {
-    with_ref_manager(repo, |manager| manager.get_branch_by_name(name))
+/// Get a branch by name, returning an error if it doesn't exist
+pub fn get_by_name(repo: &LocalRepository, name: &str) -> Result<Branch, OxenError> {
+    with_ref_manager(repo, |manager| manager.get_branch_by_name(name))?
+        .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::local_branch_not_found(name))
 }
 
 /// Get branch by name or fall back the current
@@ -34,10 +35,7 @@ pub fn get_by_name_or_current(
 ) -> Result<Branch, OxenError> {
     if let Some(branch_name) = branch_name {
         let branch_name = branch_name.as_ref();
-        match repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, branch_name)? {
-            Some(branch) => Ok(branch),
-            None => Err(OxenError::local_branch_not_found(branch_name)),
-        }
+        repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, branch_name)
     } else {
         match repositories::branches::current_branch(repo)? {
             Some(branch) => Ok(branch),
@@ -55,11 +53,8 @@ pub fn get_commit_id(repo: &LocalRepository, name: &str) -> Result<Option<String
 }
 
 /// Check if a branch exists
-pub fn exists(repo: &LocalRepository, name: &str) -> Result<bool, OxenError> {
-    match get_by_name(repo, name)? {
-        Some(_) => Ok(true),
-        None => Ok(false),
-    }
+pub fn exists(repo: &LocalRepository, name: &str) -> bool {
+    get_by_name(repo, name).is_ok()
 }
 
 /// Get the current branch
@@ -270,8 +265,7 @@ pub fn list_entry_versions_on_branch(
     branch_name: &str,
     path: &Path,
 ) -> Result<Vec<(Commit, CommitEntry)>, OxenError> {
-    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(local_repo, branch_name)?
-        .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::local_branch_not_found(branch_name))?;
+    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(local_repo, branch_name)?;
     log::debug!(
         "get branch commits for branch {:?} -> {}",
         branch.name,
@@ -348,7 +342,7 @@ mod tests {
 
             let commit_3 = repositories::commit(&repo, "adding test file 2")?;
 
-            let _branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, DEFAULT_BRANCH_NAME)?.unwrap();
+            let _branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, DEFAULT_BRANCH_NAME)?;
 
             let file_versions =
                 repositories::branches::list_entry_versions_on_branch(&repo, "main", &file_path)?;
@@ -434,8 +428,8 @@ mod tests {
             repositories::add(&repo, &repo.path).await?;
             let commit_6 = repositories::commit(&repo, "adding test file 6")?;
 
-            let _main = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, DEFAULT_BRANCH_NAME)?.unwrap();
-            let _branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, "test_branch")?.unwrap();
+            let _main = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, DEFAULT_BRANCH_NAME)?;
+            let _branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, "test_branch")?;
             let main_versions =
                 repositories::branches::list_entry_versions_on_branch(&repo, "main", &file_path)?;
 
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/repositories/checkout.rs b/crates/lib/src/repositories/checkout.rs
index 9e6d8f2f2..5cfa8985b 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/repositories/checkout.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/repositories/checkout.rs
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ pub async fn checkout(
 ) -> Result<Option<Branch>, OxenError> {
     let value = value.as_ref();
     log::debug!("--- CHECKOUT START {value} ----");
-    if repositories::branches::exists(repo, value)? {
+    if repositories::branches::exists(repo, value) {
         if repositories::branches::is_checked_out(repo, value) {
             println!("Already on branch {value}");
-            return repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, value);
+            return Ok(Some(repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, value)?));
         }
 
         println!("Checkout branch: {value}");
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ pub async fn checkout(
         repositories::branches::checkout_subtrees_to_commit(repo, &commit, &subtree_paths, depth)
             .await?;
         repositories::branches::set_head(repo, value)?;
-        repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, value)
+        Ok(Some(repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, value)?))
     } else {
         // If we are already on the commit, do nothing
         if repositories::branches::is_checked_out(repo, value) {
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/repositories/entries.rs b/crates/lib/src/repositories/entries.rs
index 47f28f016..f6e810ce7 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/repositories/entries.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/repositories/entries.rs
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ pub fn list_directory_w_version(
         MinOxenVersion::V0_10_0 => panic!("v0.10.0 no longer supported"),
         _ => {
             let revision_str = revision.as_ref().to_string();
-            let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, &revision_str)?;
+            let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, &revision_str).ok();
             let commit = repositories::revisions::get(repo, &revision_str)?;
             let parsed_resource = ParsedResource {
                 path: directory.as_ref().to_path_buf(),
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ pub fn list_directory_w_workspace_depth(
                 revision_str.clone()
             };
 
-            let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, &revision_str)?;
+            let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, &revision_str).ok();
             let commit = repositories::revisions::get(repo, &revision_str)?;
             let parsed_resource = ParsedResource {
                 path: directory.as_ref().to_path_buf(),
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/repositories/load.rs b/crates/lib/src/repositories/load.rs
index 5c9dedb31..3d4ea6588 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/repositories/load.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/repositories/load.rs
@@ -41,8 +41,7 @@ pub async fn load(
     let repo = LocalRepository::from_dir(&dest_path)?;
 
     println!("🐂 Unpacking files to working directory {dest_path:?}");
-    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, DEFAULT_BRANCH_NAME)?
-        .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::local_branch_not_found(DEFAULT_BRANCH_NAME))?;
+    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, DEFAULT_BRANCH_NAME)?;
     let commit = repositories::commits::get_by_id(&repo, &branch.commit_id)?
         .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::commit_id_does_not_exist(&branch.commit_id))?;
     repositories::branches::set_working_repo_to_commit(&repo, &commit, &None).await?;
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/repositories/merge.rs b/crates/lib/src/repositories/merge.rs
index d61a2d181..d45317e92 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/repositories/merge.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/repositories/merge.rs
@@ -655,9 +655,8 @@ mod tests {
             assert!(result.is_some());
 
             // But now there should be conflicts when trying to merge in the human branch
-            let base_branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, &og_branch.name)?.unwrap();
-            let merge_branch =
-                repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, human_branch_name)?.unwrap();
+            let base_branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, &og_branch.name)?;
+            let merge_branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, human_branch_name)?;
 
             // Check if there are conflicts
             let has_conflicts =
@@ -979,8 +978,8 @@ mod tests {
             repositories::commit(&repo, "Adding fish to labels.txt file")?;
 
             // 4. merge main onto new branch (re-fetch branches to get current commit IDs)
-            let og_branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, &og_branch.name)?.unwrap();
-            let new_branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, new_branch_name)?.unwrap();
+            let og_branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, &og_branch.name)?;
+            let new_branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, new_branch_name)?;
             let merge_result =
                 repositories::merge::merge_into_base(&repo, &og_branch, &new_branch).await;
 
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/repositories/revisions.rs b/crates/lib/src/repositories/revisions.rs
index 533533700..53732e7fc 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/repositories/revisions.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/repositories/revisions.rs
@@ -18,17 +18,10 @@ pub fn get(repo: &LocalRepository, revision: impl AsRef<str>) -> Result<Option<C
         return Ok(Some(commit));
     }
 
-    if repositories::branches::exists(repo, revision)? {
-        log::debug!("revision is a branch: {revision}");
-        let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, revision)?;
-        let branch = branch.ok_or_else(|| OxenError::local_branch_not_found(revision))?;
-        let commit = repositories::commits::get_by_id(repo, &branch.commit_id)?;
-        Ok(commit)
-    } else {
-        log::debug!("revision is a commit id: {revision}");
-        let commit = repositories::commits::get_by_id(repo, revision)?;
-        Ok(commit)
-    }
+    let commit_id = repositories::branches::get_commit_id(repo, revision)?
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| revision.to_string());
+    let commit = repositories::commits::get_by_id(repo, &commit_id)?;
+    Ok(commit)
 }
 
 /// Get the version file path from a commit id
diff --git a/crates/oxen-py/src/py_repo.rs b/crates/oxen-py/src/py_repo.rs
index 14bf3c019..f504340e6 100644
--- a/crates/oxen-py/src/py_repo.rs
+++ b/crates/oxen-py/src/py_repo.rs
@@ -142,8 +142,7 @@ impl PyRepo {
         let branch = if delete {
             repositories::branches::delete(&repo, name)
         } else {
-            repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, name)?
-                .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::local_branch_not_found(name))
+            repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, name)
         };
         Ok(PyBranch::from(branch?))
     }
diff --git a/crates/server/src/controllers/branches.rs b/crates/server/src/controllers/branches.rs
index d47d37e3f..7de3e7551 100644
--- a/crates/server/src/controllers/branches.rs
+++ b/crates/server/src/controllers/branches.rs
@@ -104,8 +104,7 @@ pub async fn show(req: HttpRequest) -> actix_web::Result<HttpResponse, OxenHttpE
     let repository = get_repo(&app_data.path, namespace, name)?;
 
     log::debug!("show branch {branch_name:?}");
-    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repository, &branch_name)?
-        .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::remote_branch_not_found(&branch_name))?;
+    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repository, &branch_name)?;
     log::debug!("show branch found {branch:?}");
 
     let view = BranchResponse {
@@ -170,18 +169,20 @@ fn create_from_branch(
     repo: &LocalRepository,
     data: &BranchNewFromBranchName,
 ) -> Result<HttpResponse, OxenHttpError> {
-    let maybe_new_branch: Option<liboxen::model::Branch> =
-        repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, &data.new_name)?;
-    if let Some(branch) = maybe_new_branch {
-        let view = BranchResponse {
-            status: StatusMessage::resource_found(),
-            branch,
-        };
-        return Ok(HttpResponse::Ok().json(view));
+    match repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, &data.new_name) {
+        Ok(branch) => {
+            let view = BranchResponse {
+                status: StatusMessage::resource_found(),
+                branch,
+            };
+            return Ok(HttpResponse::Ok().json(view));
+        }
+        Err(OxenError::BranchNotFound(_)) => {} // branch doesn't exist yet, continue
+        Err(e) => return Err(e.into()),
     }
 
-    let from_branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, &data.from_name)?
-        .ok_or(OxenHttpError::NotFound)?;
+    let from_branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, &data.from_name)
+        .map_err(|_| OxenHttpError::NotFound)?;
 
     let new_branch = repositories::branches::create(repo, &data.new_name, from_branch.commit_id)?;
 
@@ -226,8 +227,7 @@ pub async fn delete(req: HttpRequest) -> actix_web::Result<HttpResponse, OxenHtt
     let branch_name = path_param(&req, "branch_name")?;
     let repository = get_repo(&app_data.path, namespace, name)?;
 
-    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repository, &branch_name)?
-        .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::remote_branch_not_found(&branch_name))?;
+    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repository, &branch_name)?;
 
     repositories::branches::force_delete(&repository, &branch.name)?;
     Ok(HttpResponse::Ok().json(BranchResponse {
@@ -315,8 +315,7 @@ pub async fn maybe_create_merge(
     let name = path_param(&req, "repo_name")?;
     let repository = get_repo(&app_data.path, namespace, name)?;
     let branch_name = path_param(&req, "branch_name")?;
-    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repository, &branch_name)?
-        .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::remote_branch_not_found(&branch_name))?;
+    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repository, &branch_name)?;
 
     let data: Result<BranchRemoteMerge, serde_json::Error> = serde_json::from_str(&body);
     let data = data.map_err(|err| OxenHttpError::BadRequest(format!("{err:?}").into()))?;
@@ -386,8 +385,7 @@ pub async fn list_entry_versions(
 
     // Get branch
     let repo = get_repo(&app_data.path, namespace.clone(), &repo_name)?;
-    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, &branch_name)?
-        .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::remote_branch_not_found(&branch_name))?;
+    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, &branch_name)?;
 
     let path = PathBuf::from(path_param(&req, "path")?);
     let repo = get_repo(&app_data.path, namespace, &repo_name)?;
diff --git a/crates/server/src/controllers/workspaces.rs b/crates/server/src/controllers/workspaces.rs
index 3ec1c3444..07d208824 100644
--- a/crates/server/src/controllers/workspaces.rs
+++ b/crates/server/src/controllers/workspaces.rs
@@ -63,9 +63,9 @@ pub async fn get_or_create(
     };
 
     // Try to get the branch, or create it if the repo is empty
-    let branch = match repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, &data.branch_name)? {
-        Some(branch) => branch,
-        None => {
+    let branch = match repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, &data.branch_name) {
+        Ok(branch) => branch,
+        Err(OxenError::BranchNotFound(_)) => {
             // Branch doesn't exist - check if repo is empty
             if repositories::commits::head_commit_maybe(&repo)?.is_some() {
                 // Repo has commits but branch doesn't exist - this is an error
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ pub async fn get_or_create(
 
             // Now get the newly created branch
             repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, &data.branch_name)?
-                .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::basic_str("Failed to create initial branch"))?
         }
+        Err(e) => return Err(e.into()),
     };
 
     // Return workspace if it already exists
@@ -401,8 +401,14 @@ pub async fn commit(req: HttpRequest, body: String) -> Result<HttpResponse, Oxen
             .json(StatusMessageDescription::workspace_not_found(workspace_id)));
     };
 
-    let Some(branch) = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, &branch_name)? else {
-        return Ok(HttpResponse::NotFound().json(StatusMessageDescription::not_found(branch_name)));
+    let branch = match repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, &branch_name) {
+        Ok(branch) => branch,
+        Err(OxenError::BranchNotFound(_)) => {
+            return Ok(
+                HttpResponse::NotFound().json(StatusMessageDescription::not_found(branch_name))
+            );
+        }
+        Err(e) => return Err(e.into()),
     };
 
     match repositories::workspaces::commit(&workspace, &data, &branch_name).await {
diff --git a/crates/server/src/controllers/workspaces/data_frames.rs b/crates/server/src/controllers/workspaces/data_frames.rs
index 6e13b5426..8d9c0acab 100644
--- a/crates/server/src/controllers/workspaces/data_frames.rs
+++ b/crates/server/src/controllers/workspaces/data_frames.rs
@@ -488,8 +488,7 @@ pub async fn get_by_branch(
     let page_size = query.page_size.unwrap_or(constants::DEFAULT_PAGE_SIZE);
 
     // Staged dataframes must be on a branch.
-    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, branch_name)?
-        .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::remote_branch_not_found(branch_name))?;
+    let branch = repositories::branches::get_by_name(&repo, branch_name)?;
 
     let commit = repositories::commits::get_by_id(&repo, &branch.commit_id)?
         .ok_or_else(|| OxenError::resource_not_found(&branch.commit_id))?;
diff --git a/crates/server/src/params.rs b/crates/server/src/params.rs
index d58d64c7c..41c0eabe4 100644
--- a/crates/server/src/params.rs
+++ b/crates/server/src/params.rs
@@ -155,8 +155,11 @@ pub fn resolve_revision(
 }
 
 pub fn resolve_branch(repo: &LocalRepository, name: &str) -> Result<Option<Branch>, OxenError> {
-    // Lookup branch name
-    repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, name)
+    match repositories::branches::get_by_name(repo, name) {
+        Ok(branch) => Ok(Some(branch)),
+        Err(OxenError::BranchNotFound(_)) => Ok(None),
+        Err(e) => Err(e),
+    }
 }
 
 fn user_cli_is_out_of_date(user_agent: &str) -> bool {