diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 739bf9fefc..4fc1317cb3 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -320,6 +320,13 @@ int check_refname_format(const char *refname, int flags)
 	return check_or_sanitize_refname(refname, flags, NULL);
 }
 
+int refs_fsck_ref(struct ref_store *refs UNUSED, struct fsck_options *o UNUSED,
+		  struct fsck_ref_report *report UNUSED,
+		  const char *refname UNUSED, const struct object_id *oid UNUSED)
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int refs_fsck_symref(struct ref_store *refs UNUSED, struct fsck_options *o,
 		     struct fsck_ref_report *report,
 		     const char *refname UNUSED, const char *target)
diff --git a/refs.h b/refs.h
index d91fcb2d2f..61c56cca36 100644
--- a/refs.h
+++ b/refs.h
@@ -655,6 +655,14 @@ int check_refname_format(const char *refname, int flags);
 
 struct fsck_ref_report;
 
+/*
+ * Perform generic checks for a specific symref target. This function is
+ * expected to be called by the ref backends for every symbolic ref.
+ */
+int refs_fsck_ref(struct ref_store *refs, struct fsck_options *o,
+		  struct fsck_ref_report *report,
+		  const char *refname, const struct object_id *oid);
+
 /*
  * Perform generic checks for a specific symref target. This function is
  * expected to be called by the ref backends for every symbolic ref.
diff --git a/refs/files-backend.c b/refs/files-backend.c
index 72c1db849e..e59794f5da 100644
--- a/refs/files-backend.c
+++ b/refs/files-backend.c
@@ -3833,6 +3833,8 @@ static int files_fsck_refs_content(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 					      "has trailing garbage: '%s'", trailing);
 			goto cleanup;
 		}
+
+		ret = refs_fsck_ref(ref_store, o, &report, target_name, &oid);
 	} else {
 		ret = files_fsck_symref_target(ref_store, o, &report,
 					       target_name, &referent, 0);