diff --git a/routers/web/repo/githttp.go b/routers/web/repo/githttp.go
index c1adca174f..bced8e61b1 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/githttp.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/githttp.go
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func httpBase(ctx *context.Context) *serviceHandler {
 		strings.HasSuffix(ctx.Req.URL.Path, "git-upload-archive") {
 		isPull = true
 	} else {
-		isPull = ctx.Req.Method == "GET"
+		isPull = ctx.Req.Method == "GET" || ctx.Req.Method == "HEAD"
 	}
 
 	var accessMode perm.AccessMode
diff --git a/tests/integration/git_smart_http_test.go b/tests/integration/git_smart_http_test.go
index 2b904ed99f..8e03b0dae4 100644
--- a/tests/integration/git_smart_http_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/git_smart_http_test.go
@@ -7,8 +7,15 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
+	"strconv"
 	"testing"
 
+	auth_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/auth"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/perm"
+	unit_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/unit"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models/unittest"
+	user_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/user"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/tests"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
@@ -67,3 +74,70 @@ func testGitSmartHTTP(t *testing.T, u *url.URL) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+// Test that the git http endpoints have the same authentication behavior irrespective of if it is a GET or a HEAD request.
+func TestGitHTTPSameStatusCodeForGetAndHeadRequests(t *testing.T) {
+	defer tests.PrepareTestEnv(t)()
+
+	owner := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: 1})
+	user2 := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: 2})
+
+	users := []struct {
+		Name string
+		User *user_model.User
+	}{
+		{Name: "Owner", User: owner},
+		{Name: "User2", User: user2},
+		{Name: "Anonymous", User: nil},
+	}
+
+	endpoints := []string{
+		"HEAD",
+		"git-receive-pack",
+		"git-upload-pack",
+		"info/refs",
+		"objects/info/alternates",
+		"objects/info/http-alternates",
+		"objects/info/packs",
+	}
+
+	for _, user := range users {
+		t.Run("User="+user.Name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			var session *TestSession
+			if user.User != nil {
+				session = loginUser(t, user.User.Name)
+			} else {
+				session = emptyTestSession(t)
+			}
+			for _, isCollaborator := range []bool{true, false} {
+				t.Run("IsCollaborator="+strconv.FormatBool(isCollaborator), func(t *testing.T) {
+					if (user.User == nil || user.User == owner) && isCollaborator {
+						// Adding the owner of the repository or anonymous as a collaborator makes no sense
+						t.Skip()
+					}
+					repo, _, f := tests.CreateDeclarativeRepo(t, owner, "get-and-head-requests", []unit_model.Type{unit_model.TypeCode}, nil, nil)
+					defer f()
+					if isCollaborator {
+						testCtx := NewAPITestContext(t, owner.Name, repo.Name, auth_model.AccessTokenScopeWriteRepository)
+						doAPIAddCollaborator(testCtx, user.Name, perm.AccessModeRead)(t)
+					}
+					for _, repoIsPrivate := range []bool{true, false} {
+						t.Run("repo.IsPrivate="+strconv.FormatBool(repoIsPrivate), func(t *testing.T) {
+							repo.IsPrivate = repoIsPrivate
+							for _, endpoint := range endpoints {
+								t.Run("Endpoint="+endpoint, func(t *testing.T) {
+									// Given the other parameters check that the endpoint returns the same status code for both GET and HEAD
+									getReq := NewRequestf(t, "GET", "%s/%s", repo.Link(), endpoint)
+									getResp := session.MakeRequest(t, getReq, NoExpectedStatus)
+									headReq := NewRequestf(t, "HEAD", "%s/%s", repo.Link(), endpoint)
+									headResp := session.MakeRequest(t, headReq, NoExpectedStatus)
+									require.Equal(t, getResp.Result().StatusCode, headResp.Result().StatusCode)
+								})
+							}
+						})
+					}
+				})
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}