diff --git a/salt/states/git.py b/salt/states/git.py
index 0654d46d190e..428d256b41b9 100644
--- a/salt/states/git.py
+++ b/salt/states/git.py
@@ -2221,11 +2221,11 @@ def detached(name,
         return ret
 
     # Determine if supplied ref is a hash
-    remote_ref_type = 'ref'
+    remote_rev_type = 'ref'
     if len(ref) <= 40 \
             and all(x in string.hexdigits for x in ref):
         ref = ref.lower()
-        remote_ref_type = 'hash'
+        remote_rev_type = 'hash'
 
     comments = []
     hash_exists_locally = False
@@ -2238,13 +2238,18 @@ def detached(name,
 
         local_commit_id = _get_local_rev_and_branch(target, user, password)[0]
 
-        if remote_ref_type is 'hash' \
-                and __salt__['git.describe'](target,
-                                             ref,
-                                             user=user,
-                                             password=password):
-            # The ref is a hash and it exists locally so skip to checkout
-            hash_exists_locally = True
+        if remote_rev_type is 'hash':
+            try:
+                __salt__['git.describe'](target,
+                                         ref,
+                                         user=user,
+                                         password=password,
+                                         ignore_retcode=True)
+            except CommandExecutionError:
+                hash_exists_locally = False
+            else:
+                # The rev is a hash and it exists locally so skip to checkout
+                hash_exists_locally = True
         else:
             # Check that remote is present and set to correct url
             remotes = __salt__['git.remotes'](target,
@@ -2409,7 +2414,7 @@ def detached(name,
 
     #get refs and checkout
     checkout_commit_id = ''
-    if remote_ref_type is 'hash':
+    if remote_rev_type is 'hash':
         if __salt__['git.describe'](target, ref, user=user, password=password):
             checkout_commit_id = ref
         else: