diff --git a/lib/src/git.rs b/lib/src/git.rs
index d05b18e0ef..f77722e77f 100644
--- a/lib/src/git.rs
+++ b/lib/src/git.rs
@@ -245,14 +245,17 @@ pub fn export_refs(
     upgrade_old_export_state(repo);
 
     let last_export_path = repo.repo_path().join("git_export_view");
-    if let Ok(last_export_file) = OpenOptions::new().read(true).open(&last_export_path) {
-        let mut protocol = TCompactInputProtocol::new(&last_export_file);
-        let thrift_view = simple_op_store_model::View::read_from_in_protocol(&mut protocol)
-            .map_err(|err| GitExportError::ReadStateError(err.to_string()))?;
-        let last_export_store_view = simple_op_store::view_from_thrift(&thrift_view);
-        let last_export_view = View::new(last_export_store_view);
-        export_changes(&last_export_view, repo.view(), git_repo)?;
-    }
+    let last_export_store_view =
+        if let Ok(last_export_file) = OpenOptions::new().read(true).open(&last_export_path) {
+            let mut protocol = TCompactInputProtocol::new(&last_export_file);
+            let thrift_view = simple_op_store_model::View::read_from_in_protocol(&mut protocol)
+                .map_err(|err| GitExportError::ReadStateError(err.to_string()))?;
+            simple_op_store::view_from_thrift(&thrift_view)
+        } else {
+            crate::op_store::View::default()
+        };
+    let last_export_view = View::new(last_export_store_view);
+    export_changes(&last_export_view, repo.view(), git_repo)?;
     if let Ok(mut last_export_file) = OpenOptions::new()
         .write(true)
         .create(true)
diff --git a/lib/tests/test_git.rs b/lib/tests/test_git.rs
index 88f997cad2..e2f5ea0084 100644
--- a/lib/tests/test_git.rs
+++ b/lib/tests/test_git.rs
@@ -403,8 +403,9 @@ fn test_import_refs_detached_head() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn test_export_refs_initial() {
-    // The first export doesn't do anything
+fn test_export_refs_no_detach() {
+    // When exporting the branch that's current checked out, don't detach HEAD if
+    // the target already matches
     let mut test_data = GitRepoData::create();
     let git_repo = test_data.git_repo;
     let commit1 = empty_git_commit(&git_repo, "refs/heads/main", &[]);
@@ -416,7 +417,7 @@ fn test_export_refs_initial() {
         .unwrap();
     test_data.repo = tx.commit();
 
-    // The first export shouldn't do anything
+    // Do an initial export to make sure `main` is considered
     assert_eq!(git::export_refs(&test_data.repo, &git_repo), Ok(()));
     assert_eq!(git_repo.head().unwrap().name(), Some("refs/heads/main"));
     assert_eq!(