diff --git a/providers/git/src/airflow/providers/git/bundles/git.py b/providers/git/src/airflow/providers/git/bundles/git.py
index 89c7f7af08444..2bf1f9980ae63 100644
--- a/providers/git/src/airflow/providers/git/bundles/git.py
+++ b/providers/git/src/airflow/providers/git/bundles/git.py
@@ -175,9 +175,12 @@ def _clone_bare_repo_if_required(self) -> None:
                     env=self.hook.env if self.hook else None,
                 )
             self.bare_repo = Repo(self.bare_repo_path)
+
+            # Fetch to ensure we have latest refs and validate repo integrity
+            self._fetch_bare_repo()
         except (InvalidGitRepositoryError, GitCommandError) as e:
             self._log.warning(
-                "Bare repository clone/open failed, cleaning up and retrying",
+                "Bare repository clone/open/fetch failed, cleaning up and retrying",
                 bare_repo_path=self.bare_repo_path,
                 exc=e,
             )
diff --git a/providers/git/tests/unit/git/bundles/test_git.py b/providers/git/tests/unit/git/bundles/test_git.py
index cf85e71758b7f..b6c110e35477b 100644
--- a/providers/git/tests/unit/git/bundles/test_git.py
+++ b/providers/git/tests/unit/git/bundles/test_git.py
@@ -377,7 +377,8 @@ def test_refresh_with_git_connection(self, mock_gitRepo):
             tracking_ref=GIT_DEFAULT_BRANCH,
         )
         bundle.initialize()
-        assert mock_gitRepo.return_value.remotes.origin.fetch.call_count == 2  # 1 in bare, 1 in main repo
+        # 1 in _clone_bare_repo_if_required, 1 in refresh() for bare repo, 1 in refresh() for working repo
+        assert mock_gitRepo.return_value.remotes.origin.fetch.call_count == 3
         mock_gitRepo.return_value.remotes.origin.fetch.reset_mock()
         bundle.refresh()
         assert mock_gitRepo.return_value.remotes.origin.fetch.call_count == 2
@@ -730,7 +731,9 @@ def _fake_clone_from(*_, **kwargs):
         EXPECTED_ENV = {"GIT_SSH_COMMAND": "ssh -i /id_rsa -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no"}
 
         mock_gitRepo.clone_from.side_effect = _fake_clone_from
-        mock_gitRepo.return_value = types.SimpleNamespace()
+        # Mock needs to support the fetch operation called in _clone_bare_repo_if_required
+        mock_repo_instance = mock.MagicMock()
+        mock_gitRepo.return_value = mock_repo_instance
 
         with mock.patch("airflow.providers.git.bundles.git.GitHook") as mock_githook:
             mock_githook.return_value.repo_url = "git@github.com:apache/airflow.git"