diff --git a/tools/git/hooks/pre-push b/tools/git/hooks/pre-push
index 622a836daaa4..edc77a99db21 100755
--- a/tools/git/hooks/pre-push
+++ b/tools/git/hooks/pre-push
@@ -168,24 +168,28 @@ amend_commit() {
 
 # Checks if commits exist to push, as `git push` will execute regardless of whether commits exist to push or not.
 has_commits() {
-	local commits
-
-	echo 'Checking if remote branch exists...' >&2
-	if git branch -r | grep "${GIT_CURRENT_BRANCH}" > /dev/null; then
-		echo 'Remote branch exists.' >&2
-		echo 'Checking for commits to push...' >&2
-		commits=$(git log "${remote}/${GIT_CURRENT_BRANCH}..${GIT_CURRENT_BRANCH}" --oneline --)
-	else
-		echo 'Remote branch does not exist.' >&2
-		echo 'Checking for commits to push...' >&2
-		commits=$(git log "${GIT_CURRENT_BRANCH}" --oneline --)
-	fi
-	if [[ -z "${commits}" ]]; then
-		echo 'No commits to push.'
-		return 1
-	fi
-	echo 'Found commits to push.'
-	return 0
+    local commits
+    local remote_ref="${remote}/${GIT_CURRENT_BRANCH}"
+
+    echo 'Checking if remote branch exists...' >&2
+    # We use rev-parse to test the actual ref.
+    # 2>/dev/null makes it silent on failure; the exit code is what matters.
+    if git rev-parse --verify "refs/remotes/${remote_ref}" > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+        echo 'Remote branch exists.' >&2
+        echo 'Checking for commits to push...' >&2
+        commits=$(git log "${remote_ref}..${GIT_CURRENT_BRANCH}" --oneline --)
+    else
+        echo 'Remote branch does not exist.' >&2
+        echo 'Checking for commits to push...' >&2
+        commits=$(git log "${GIT_CURRENT_BRANCH}" --oneline --)
+    fi
+
+    if [[ -z "${commits}" ]]; then
+        echo 'No commits to push.'
+        return 1
+    fi
+    echo 'Found commits to push.'
+    return 0
 }
 
 # Checks licenses.