diff --git a/verify.py b/verify.py
index ae8ce66..a04a3ae 100755
--- a/verify.py
+++ b/verify.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def collect_user_dirs():
 
 def last_commit_for(dir: Path, ref: git.Reference):
     """Returns the Git commit signature for the last commit on this path."""
-    last_commit_hash = str(ref.repo.git.rev_list("--max-count=1", action_ref, dir))
+    last_commit_hash = str(ref.repo.git.rev_list("--max-count=1", ref, dir))
     return ref.repo.commit(last_commit_hash)
 
 
@@ -101,7 +101,18 @@ def verify_dir(dir: Path, ref: git.Reference):
 
 
 def current_ref(repo: git.Repo) -> git.Reference:
-    for ref in repo.references:
+    log.debug(f"{repo.references}")
+    # some of this logic stolen from https://code.forgejo.org/actions/checkout/src/branch/main/src/ref-helper.ts - the ref names github provides are beyond fucked
+    global action_ref
+    if (action_ref.startswith('refs/heads/')):
+        branch = action_ref.removeprefix('refs/heads/')
+        action_ref = branch
+    # refs/pull/
+    elif (action_ref.startswith('refs/pull/')):
+        branch = action_ref.removeprefix('refs/pull/')
+        action_ref = f'refs/remotes/pull/{branch}'
+
+    for ref in repo.refs:
         if ref.name == action_ref or ref.path == action_ref:
             return ref
     raise Exception(f"No ref named {action_ref} found")