git push and REST API ref update to main fail with "remote: fatal error in commit_refs" / HTTP 500 (private repo)

[rowjk]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Bug

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Other

Discussion Details

Repo: rowjk/QBt (private). Since ~2026-11-05 00:00 UTC, every update to refs/heads/main fails, via both git push and the REST API. Last successful push: 2026-11-04T12:50:15Z. Reads, clones, issues, labels and Projects writes all work.

git push

remote: fatal error in commit_refs
 ! [remote rejected] main -> main (failure)

Request ID EF03:294199:35423B:5B30D5:6AEBD857, 2026-11-05 ~01:14 UTC, region japaneast

REST API (PATCH /repos/rowjk/QBt/git/refs/heads/main, force=false)

HTTP/2.0 500 Internal Server Error
X-Github-Request-Id: F9AD:2681AC:54BFC3:89E0AF:6AEBD89E

2026-11-05 01:15 UTC, region japaneast

What I checked

• The pack upload succeeds: GET /repos/rowjk/QBt/commits/<sha> finds the pushed commits. Only the final ref update fails.
• Not content-related: a single docs-only commit fails the same way. Repo is ~6 MB.
• Plain fast-forward: remote main is untouched and git fsck is clean.
• Not permissions: permissions.push and admin are true; the repo is not archived.
• No branch protection or rulesets (free plan, private repo).
• Retried over several hours; same result. githubstatus.com shows all systems operational.

Env: Git for Windows 2.54.0, HTTPS, Git Credential Manager, gh CLI.

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[samus-aran]

Welcome to the GitHub Community, @rowjk ! You are more likely to get a useful response if you are posting your question(s) in the applicable category which might help someone give you a nudge in the right direction. I've gone ahead and moved it for you. Good luck!