diff --git a/swh/web/browse/snapshot_context.py b/swh/web/browse/snapshot_context.py
--- a/swh/web/browse/snapshot_context.py
+++ b/swh/web/browse/snapshot_context.py
@@ -106,17 +106,25 @@
         return filtered_releases[0]
     else:
         # case where a large branches list has been truncated
-        for branch_name in (release_name, f"refs/tags/{release_name}"):
+        try:
+            # git origins have specific branches for releases
+            snp = service.lookup_snapshot(
+                snapshot_id,
+                branches_from=f"refs/tags/{release_name}",
+                branches_count=1,
+                target_types=["release"],
+            )
+        except NotFoundExc:
             snp = service.lookup_snapshot(
                 snapshot_id,
-                branches_from=branch_name,
+                branches_from=release_name,
                 branches_count=1,
                 target_types=["release"],
             )
-            _, snp_release = process_snapshot_branches(snp)
-            if snp_release and snp_release[0]["name"] == release_name:
-                releases.append(snp_release[0])
-                return snp_release[0]
+        _, snp_release = process_snapshot_branches(snp)
+        if snp_release and snp_release[0]["name"] == release_name:
+            releases.append(snp_release[0])
+            return snp_release[0]
 
 
 def _branch_not_found(
diff --git a/swh/web/tests/browse/test_snapshot_context.py b/swh/web/tests/browse/test_snapshot_context.py
--- a/swh/web/tests/browse/test_snapshot_context.py
+++ b/swh/web/tests/browse/test_snapshot_context.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
     get_origin_visit_snapshot,
     get_snapshot_content,
     get_snapshot_context,
+    _get_release,
 )
 from swh.web.common.identifiers import get_swh_persistent_id
 from swh.web.common.origin_visits import get_origin_visit, get_origin_visits
@@ -20,7 +21,11 @@
     SnapshotContext,
 )
 from swh.web.common.utils import format_utc_iso_date, reverse
-from swh.web.tests.strategies import origin_with_multiple_visits, snapshot
+from swh.web.tests.strategies import (
+    origin_with_multiple_visits,
+    snapshot,
+    origin_with_releases,
+)
 
 
 @given(origin_with_multiple_visits())
@@ -327,3 +332,24 @@
     expected_revision["query_params"] = {"revision": revision["id"], **query_params}
 
     assert snapshot_context == expected_revision
+
+
+@given(origin_with_releases())
+def test_get_release_large_snapshot(archive_data, origin):
+    snapshot = archive_data.snapshot_get_latest(origin["url"])
+    release_id = random.choice(
+        [
+            v["target"]
+            for v in snapshot["branches"].values()
+            if v["target_type"] == "release"
+        ]
+    )
+    release_data = archive_data.release_get(release_id)
+    # simulate large snapshot processing by providing releases parameter
+    # as an empty list
+    release = _get_release(
+        releases=[], release_name=release_data["name"], snapshot_id=snapshot["id"]
+    )
+
+    assert release_data["name"] == release["name"]
+    assert release_data["id"] == release["id"]