diff --git a/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/browse/snapshot-navigation.js b/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/browse/snapshot-navigation.js
index c9a931166..8ade39fbd 100644
--- a/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/browse/snapshot-navigation.js
+++ b/swh/web/assets/src/bundles/browse/snapshot-navigation.js
@@ -1,56 +1,56 @@
 /**
  * Copyright (C) 2018  The Software Heritage developers
  * See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
  * License: GNU Affero General Public License version 3, or any later version
  * See top-level LICENSE file for more information
  */
 
-export function initSnapshotNavigation(snapshotContext) {
+export function initSnapshotNavigation(snapshotContext, branch) {
 
   function setBranchesTabActive() {
     $('.swh-releases-switch').removeClass('active');
     $('.swh-branches-switch').addClass('active');
     $('#swh-tab-releases').removeClass('active');
     $('#swh-tab-branches').addClass('active');
   }
 
   function setReleasesTabActive() {
     $('.swh-branches-switch').removeClass('active');
     $('.swh-releases-switch').addClass('active');
     $('#swh-tab-branches').removeClass('active');
     $('#swh-tab-releases').addClass('active');
   }
 
   $(document).ready(() => {
     $('.dropdown-menu a.swh-branches-switch').click(e => {
       setBranchesTabActive();
       e.stopPropagation();
     });
 
     $('.dropdown-menu a.swh-releases-switch').click(e => {
       setReleasesTabActive();
       e.stopPropagation();
     });
 
     let dropdownResized = false;
 
     // hack to resize the branches/releases dropdown content,
     // taking icons into account, in order to make the whole names readable
     $('#swh-branches-releases-dd').on('show.bs.dropdown', () => {
       if (dropdownResized) return;
       let dropdownWidth = $('.swh-branches-releases').width();
       $('.swh-branches-releases').width(dropdownWidth + 25);
       dropdownResized = true;
     });
 
     if (snapshotContext) {
-      if (snapshotContext.branch) {
+      if (branch) {
         setBranchesTabActive();
       } else {
         setReleasesTabActive();
       }
     }
 
   });
 
 }
diff --git a/swh/web/templates/includes/top-navigation.html b/swh/web/templates/includes/top-navigation.html
index c206291ff..1738d142e 100644
--- a/swh/web/templates/includes/top-navigation.html
+++ b/swh/web/templates/includes/top-navigation.html
@@ -1,94 +1,99 @@
 {% comment %}
 Copyright (C) 2017-2018  The Software Heritage developers
 See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
 License: GNU Affero General Public License version 3, or any later version
 See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 {% endcomment %}
 
 {% load swh_templatetags %}
 
 <div class="swh-browse-top-navigation">
   {% if snapshot_context %}
     {% if snapshot_context.branch or snapshot_context.release %}
       <div class="dropdown float-left" id="swh-branches-releases-dd">
         <button class="btn btn-block btn-default btn-sm dropdown-toggle" type="button" data-toggle="dropdown">
           {% if snapshot_context.branch %}
             <i class="fa fa-code-fork fa-fw" aria-hidden="true"></i>
             Branch: <strong>{{ snapshot_context.branch }}</strong>
           {% else %}
             <i class="fa fa-tag fa-fw" aria-hidden="true"></i>
             Release: <strong>{{ snapshot_context.release }}</strong>
           {% endif %}
           <span class="caret"></span>
         </button>
         <ul class="scrollable-menu dropdown-menu swh-branches-releases">
           <ul class="nav nav-tabs">
             <li class="nav-item"><a class="nav-link active swh-branches-switch" data-toggle="tab">Branches</a></li>
             <li class="nav-item"><a class="nav-link swh-releases-switch" data-toggle="tab">Releases</a></li>
           </ul>
           <div class="tab-content">
             <div class="tab-pane active" id="swh-tab-branches">
               {% for b in snapshot_context.branches %}
                 <li class="swh-branch">
                   <a href="{{ b.url | safe }}">
                     <i class="fa fa-code-fork fa-fw" aria-hidden="true"></i>
                     {% if b.name == snapshot_context.branch %}
                       <i class="fa fa-check fa-fw" aria-hidden="true"></i>
                     {% else %}
                       <i class="fa fa-fw" aria-hidden="true"></i>
                     {% endif %}
                     {{ b.name }}
                   </a>
                 </li>
               {% endfor %}
             </div>
             <div class="tab-pane" id="swh-tab-releases">
               {% if snapshot_context.releases %}
                 {% for r in snapshot_context.releases %}
                   {% if r.target_type == 'revision' %}
                     <li class="swh-release">
                       <a href="{{ r.url | safe }}">
                         <i class="fa fa-tag fa-fw" aria-hidden="true"></i>
                         {% if r.name == snapshot_context.release %}
                           <i class="fa fa-check fa-fw" aria-hidden="true"></i>
                         {% else %}
                           <i class="fa fa-fw" aria-hidden="true"></i>
                         {% endif %}
                         {{ r.name }}
                       </a>
                     </li>
                   {% endif %}
                 {% endfor %}
               {% else %}
                 <span>No releases to show</span>
               {% endif %}
             </div>
           </div>
         </ul>
       </div>
     {% endif %}
   {% endif %}
 
   <div class="btn-group float-right">
     {% if top_right_link %}
       <a href="{{ top_right_link | safe }}" class="btn btn-default btn-sm" role="button">{{ top_right_link_text }}</a>
     {% endif %}
     {% if show_actions_menu %}
       <button class="btn btn-default btn-sm dropdown-toggle" type="button" data-toggle="dropdown">
         <i class="fa fa-bars fa-fw" aria-hidden="true"></i>Actions
         <span class="caret"></span>
       </button>
       <ul class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu-right swh-browse-actions-menu">
         {% include "includes/vault-create-tasks.html" %}
       </ul>
     {% endif %}
   </div>
 
   {% include "includes/breadcrumbs.html" %}
 
 </div>
 
 <script>
-  var snapshotContext = {{ snapshot_context|jsonify }};
-  swh.browse.initSnapshotNavigation(snapshotContext);
+  var snapshotContext = false;
+  var branch = false;
+  {% if snapshot_context %}
+    snapshotContext = true;
+    branch = {{ snapshot_context.branch|jsonify }};
+  {% endif %}
+  swh.browse.initSnapshotNavigation(snapshotContext, branch);
 </script>