diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index fee9f39a90..dc394a59aa 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Breaking changes
 
+* The `git_head` template keyword now returns an optional value instead of a
+  list of 0 or 1 element.
+
 ### New features
 
 * Config now supports rgb hex colors (in the form `#rrggbb`) wherever existing color names are supported.
diff --git a/cli/src/commit_templater.rs b/cli/src/commit_templater.rs
index 66887dd4e8..fb1581b3c9 100644
--- a/cli/src/commit_templater.rs
+++ b/cli/src/commit_templater.rs
@@ -149,6 +149,14 @@ impl<'repo> TemplateLanguage<'repo> for CommitTemplateLanguage<'repo> {
                 let build = template_parser::lookup_method("RefName", table, function)?;
                 build(self, build_ctx, property, function)
             }
+            CommitTemplatePropertyKind::RefNameOpt(property) => {
+                let table = &self.build_fn_table.ref_name_methods;
+                let build = template_parser::lookup_method("RefName", table, function)?;
+                let inner_property = property.and_then(|opt| {
+                    opt.ok_or_else(|| TemplatePropertyError("No RefName available".into()))
+                });
+                build(self, build_ctx, Box::new(inner_property), function)
+            }
             CommitTemplatePropertyKind::RefNameList(property) => {
                 // TODO: migrate to table?
                 template_builder::build_formattable_list_method(
@@ -216,6 +224,12 @@ impl<'repo> CommitTemplateLanguage<'repo> {
         CommitTemplatePropertyKind::RefName(Box::new(property))
     }
 
+    pub fn wrap_ref_name_opt(
+        property: impl TemplateProperty<Output = Option<RefName>> + 'repo,
+    ) -> CommitTemplatePropertyKind<'repo> {
+        CommitTemplatePropertyKind::RefNameOpt(Box::new(property))
+    }
+
     pub fn wrap_ref_name_list(
         property: impl TemplateProperty<Output = Vec<RefName>> + 'repo,
     ) -> CommitTemplatePropertyKind<'repo> {
@@ -241,6 +255,7 @@ pub enum CommitTemplatePropertyKind<'repo> {
     CommitOpt(Box<dyn TemplateProperty<Output = Option<Commit>> + 'repo>),
     CommitList(Box<dyn TemplateProperty<Output = Vec<Commit>> + 'repo>),
     RefName(Box<dyn TemplateProperty<Output = RefName> + 'repo>),
+    RefNameOpt(Box<dyn TemplateProperty<Output = Option<RefName>> + 'repo>),
     RefNameList(Box<dyn TemplateProperty<Output = Vec<RefName>> + 'repo>),
     CommitOrChangeId(Box<dyn TemplateProperty<Output = CommitOrChangeId> + 'repo>),
     ShortestIdPrefix(Box<dyn TemplateProperty<Output = ShortestIdPrefix> + 'repo>),
@@ -258,6 +273,9 @@ impl<'repo> IntoTemplateProperty<'repo> for CommitTemplatePropertyKind<'repo> {
                 Some(Box::new(property.map(|l| !l.is_empty())))
             }
             CommitTemplatePropertyKind::RefName(_) => None,
+            CommitTemplatePropertyKind::RefNameOpt(property) => {
+                Some(Box::new(property.map(|opt| opt.is_some())))
+            }
             CommitTemplatePropertyKind::RefNameList(property) => {
                 Some(Box::new(property.map(|l| !l.is_empty())))
             }
@@ -290,6 +308,7 @@ impl<'repo> IntoTemplateProperty<'repo> for CommitTemplatePropertyKind<'repo> {
             CommitTemplatePropertyKind::CommitOpt(_) => None,
             CommitTemplatePropertyKind::CommitList(_) => None,
             CommitTemplatePropertyKind::RefName(property) => Some(property.into_template()),
+            CommitTemplatePropertyKind::RefNameOpt(property) => Some(property.into_template()),
             CommitTemplatePropertyKind::RefNameList(property) => Some(property.into_template()),
             CommitTemplatePropertyKind::CommitOrChangeId(property) => {
                 Some(property.into_template())
@@ -530,7 +549,7 @@ fn builtin_commit_methods<'repo>() -> CommitTemplateBuildMethodFnMap<'repo, Comm
             template_parser::expect_no_arguments(function)?;
             let repo = language.repo;
             let out_property = self_property.map(|commit| extract_git_head(repo, &commit));
-            Ok(L::wrap_ref_name_list(out_property))
+            Ok(L::wrap_ref_name_opt(out_property))
         },
     );
     map.insert(
@@ -764,20 +783,16 @@ fn build_ref_names_index<'a>(
     index
 }
 
-// TODO: maybe add option or nullable type?
-fn extract_git_head(repo: &dyn Repo, commit: &Commit) -> Vec<RefName> {
+fn extract_git_head(repo: &dyn Repo, commit: &Commit) -> Option<RefName> {
     let target = repo.view().git_head();
-    if target.added_ids().contains(commit.id()) {
-        let ref_name = RefName {
+    target.added_ids().contains(commit.id()).then(|| {
+        RefName {
             name: "HEAD".to_owned(),
             remote: Some(git::REMOTE_NAME_FOR_LOCAL_GIT_REPO.to_owned()),
             conflict: target.has_conflict(),
             synced: false, // has no local counterpart
-        };
-        vec![ref_name]
-    } else {
-        vec![]
-    }
+        }
+    })
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
diff --git a/cli/src/templater.rs b/cli/src/templater.rs
index 168b4031e4..d5268f4773 100644
--- a/cli/src/templater.rs
+++ b/cli/src/templater.rs
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@ impl<T: Template + ?Sized> Template for Box<T> {
     }
 }
 
+// All optional printable types should be printable, and it's unlikely to
+// implement different formatting per type.
+impl<T: Template> Template for Option<T> {
+    fn format(&self, formatter: &mut dyn Formatter) -> io::Result<()> {
+        self.as_ref().map_or(Ok(()), |t| t.format(formatter))
+    }
+}
+
 impl Template for Signature {
     fn format(&self, formatter: &mut dyn Formatter) -> io::Result<()> {
         write!(formatter.labeled("name"), "{}", self.name)?;
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_commit_template.rs b/cli/tests/test_commit_template.rs
index dd653a7d53..5dfa90dcc2 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_commit_template.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_commit_template.rs
@@ -494,6 +494,20 @@ fn test_log_git_head() {
 
     test_env.jj_cmd_ok(&repo_path, &["new", "-m=initial"]);
     std::fs::write(repo_path.join("file"), "foo\n").unwrap();
+
+    let template = r#"
+    separate(", ",
+      if(git_head, "name: " ++ git_head.name()),
+      "remote: " ++ git_head.remote(),
+    ) ++ "\n"
+    "#;
+    let stdout = test_env.jj_cmd_success(&repo_path, &["log", "-T", template]);
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @r###"
+    @  remote: <Error: No RefName available>
+    ◉  name: HEAD, remote: git
+    ◉  remote: <Error: No RefName available>
+    "###);
+
     let stdout = test_env.jj_cmd_success(&repo_path, &["log", "--color=always"]);
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @r###"
     @  rlvkpnrz test.user@example.com 2001-02-03 08:05:09 50aaf475
diff --git a/docs/templates.md b/docs/templates.md
index bb5bace3c3..5ab5472d71 100644
--- a/docs/templates.md
+++ b/docs/templates.md
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ This type cannot be printed. The following methods are defined.
 * `remote_branches() -> List<RefName>`: All remote branches pointing to the commit.
 * `tags() -> List<RefName>`
 * `git_refs() -> List<RefName>`
-* `git_head() -> List<RefName>`
+* `git_head() -> Option<RefName>`
 * `divergent() -> Boolean`: True if the commit's change id corresponds to multiple
   visible commits.
 * `hidden() -> Boolean`: True if the commit is not visible (a.k.a. abandoned).