diff --git a/lib/upload-lib.js b/lib/upload-lib.js
index b50b2f341..893cb27b9 100644
--- a/lib/upload-lib.js
+++ b/lib/upload-lib.js
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ async function uploadFiles(sarifFiles) {
         }
         const commitOid = util.getRequiredEnvParam('GITHUB_SHA');
         const workflowRunIDStr = util.getRequiredEnvParam('GITHUB_RUN_ID');
-        const ref = util.getRequiredEnvParam('GITHUB_REF'); // it's in the form "refs/heads/master"
+        const ref = util.getRef();
         const analysisKey = await util.getAnalysisKey();
         const analysisName = util.getRequiredEnvParam('GITHUB_WORKFLOW');
         const startedAt = process.env[sharedEnv.CODEQL_ACTION_STARTED_AT];
diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index ae0ea412b..1a6f7bd91 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -192,6 +192,14 @@ async function getAnalysisKey() {
     return analysisKey;
 }
 exports.getAnalysisKey = getAnalysisKey;
+/**
+ * Get the ref currently being analyzed.
+ */
+function getRef() {
+    // it's in the form "refs/heads/master"
+    return getRequiredEnvParam('GITHUB_REF');
+}
+exports.getRef = getRef;
 /**
  * Compose a StatusReport.
  *
@@ -202,6 +210,7 @@ exports.getAnalysisKey = getAnalysisKey;
  */
 async function createStatusReport(actionName, status, cause, exception) {
     const commitOid = process.env['GITHUB_SHA'] || '';
+    const ref = getRef();
     const workflowRunIDStr = process.env['GITHUB_RUN_ID'];
     let workflowRunID = -1;
     if (workflowRunIDStr) {
@@ -218,6 +227,7 @@ async function createStatusReport(actionName, status, cause, exception) {
         job_name: jobName,
         languages: languages,
         commit_oid: commitOid,
+        ref: ref,
         action_name: actionName,
         action_oid: "unknown",
         started_at: startedAt,
diff --git a/src/upload-lib.ts b/src/upload-lib.ts
index f5dcd1766..08e1e504d 100644
--- a/src/upload-lib.ts
+++ b/src/upload-lib.ts
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ async function uploadFiles(sarifFiles: string[]): Promise<boolean> {
 
         const commitOid = util.getRequiredEnvParam('GITHUB_SHA');
         const workflowRunIDStr = util.getRequiredEnvParam('GITHUB_RUN_ID');
-        const ref = util.getRequiredEnvParam('GITHUB_REF'); // it's in the form "refs/heads/master"
+        const ref = util.getRef();
         const analysisKey = await util.getAnalysisKey();
         const analysisName = util.getRequiredEnvParam('GITHUB_WORKFLOW');
         const startedAt = process.env[sharedEnv.CODEQL_ACTION_STARTED_AT];
diff --git a/src/util.ts b/src/util.ts
index 6c23d4fdf..bde0fa0e3 100644
--- a/src/util.ts
+++ b/src/util.ts
@@ -200,6 +200,14 @@ export async function getAnalysisKey(): Promise<string> {
     return analysisKey;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Get the ref currently being analyzed.
+ */
+export function getRef(): string {
+    // it's in the form "refs/heads/master"
+    return getRequiredEnvParam('GITHUB_REF');
+}
+
 interface StatusReport {
     "workflow_run_id": number;
     "workflow_name": string;
@@ -207,6 +215,7 @@ interface StatusReport {
     "matrix_vars"?: string;
     "languages": string;
     "commit_oid": string;
+    "ref": string;
     "action_name": string;
     "action_oid": string;
     "started_at": string;
@@ -232,6 +241,7 @@ async function createStatusReport(
     Promise<StatusReport> {
 
     const commitOid = process.env['GITHUB_SHA'] || '';
+    const ref = getRef();
     const workflowRunIDStr = process.env['GITHUB_RUN_ID'];
     let workflowRunID = -1;
     if (workflowRunIDStr) {
@@ -249,6 +259,7 @@ async function createStatusReport(
         job_name: jobName,
         languages: languages,
         commit_oid: commitOid,
+        ref: ref,
         action_name: actionName,
         action_oid: "unknown", // TODO decide if it's possible to fill this in
         started_at: startedAt,