diff --git a/client/directives/components/lists/branchCommitSelector/branchCommitSelectorDirective.js b/client/directives/components/lists/branchCommitSelector/branchCommitSelectorDirective.js
index f2b61fd95..57567a873 100644
--- a/client/directives/components/lists/branchCommitSelector/branchCommitSelectorDirective.js
+++ b/client/directives/components/lists/branchCommitSelector/branchCommitSelectorDirective.js
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ require('app')
  *  latestCommit,
  */
 function branchCommitSelector(
+  $q,
   errs,
+  fetchCommitData,
   promisify,
   github
 ) {
@@ -30,8 +32,14 @@ function branchCommitSelector(
         if (branch) {
           $scope.fetchingCommits = true;
           var acv = $scope.BCSC.data.acv;
-          return github.branchOrPRCommits(acv)
-            .then($scope.BCSC.onCommitFetch)
+          return $q.all({
+            branchOrPRCommits: github.branchOrPRCommits(acv),
+            activeCommit: fetchCommitData.activeCommit(acv)
+          })
+            .then(function(commitPromises) {
+              $scope.BCSC.data.commit = commitPromises.activeCommit;
+              return $scope.BCSC.onCommitFetch(commitPromises.branchOrPRCommits);
+            })
             .catch(errs.handler)
             .finally(function () {
               $scope.fetchingCommits = false;
diff --git a/test/unit/directives/branchCommitSelectorDirective.unit.js b/test/unit/directives/branchCommitSelectorDirective.unit.js
index bb0d5ed87..4bde10db6 100644
--- a/test/unit/directives/branchCommitSelectorDirective.unit.js
+++ b/test/unit/directives/branchCommitSelectorDirective.unit.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ describe('branchCommitSelectorDirective'.bold.underline.blue, function () {
   var $scope;
   var $rootScope;
   var keypather;
+  var fetchCommitDataStub;
   var $elScope;
   var $controller;
   var $q;
@@ -40,6 +41,12 @@ describe('branchCommitSelectorDirective'.bold.underline.blue, function () {
           link: angular.noop
         };
       });
+      $provide.factory('fetchCommitData', function ($q) {
+        fetchCommitDataStub = {
+          activeCommit: sinon.stub().returns($q.when(true))
+        }
+        return fetchCommitDataStub;
+      });
       $provide.factory('github', function ($q) {
         ctx.github = {
           branchOrPRCommits: sinon.stub().returns($q.when(ctx.commits))