diff --git a/lib/gitlab/satellite/merge_action.rb b/lib/gitlab/satellite/merge_action.rb
index 556a1e2d52fdb953295fa65dc65e6d1d97fe4547..832db6621c4f23ff58c8df93299ec60171ca6e05 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/satellite/merge_action.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/satellite/merge_action.rb
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ module Gitlab
             merge_repo.git.push({raise: true, timeout: true}, :origin, merge_request.target_branch)
 
             # remove source branch
-            if merge_request.should_remove_source_branch && !project.repository.root_ref?(merge_request.source_branch)
+            if merge_request.should_remove_source_branch && !project.root_ref?(merge_request.source_branch)
               # will raise CommandFailed when push fails
               merge_repo.git.push({raise: true, timeout: true}, :origin, ":#{merge_request.source_branch}")
             end