diff --git a/lib/src/bindings/reference.dart b/lib/src/bindings/reference.dart
index 3f96aec..b179254 100644
--- a/lib/src/bindings/reference.dart
+++ b/lib/src/bindings/reference.dart
@@ -14,6 +14,28 @@ int referenceType(Pointer<git_reference> ref) =>
 Pointer<git_oid>? target(Pointer<git_reference> ref) =>
     libgit2.git_reference_target(ref);
 
+/// Resolve a symbolic reference to a direct reference.
+///
+/// This method iteratively peels a symbolic reference until it resolves
+/// to a direct reference to an OID.
+///
+/// The peeled reference must be freed manually once it's no longer needed.
+///
+/// If a direct reference is passed as an argument, a copy of that reference is returned.
+/// This copy must be manually freed too.
+///
+/// Throws a [LibGit2Error] if error occured.
+Pointer<git_reference> resolve(Pointer<git_reference> ref) {
+  final out = calloc<Pointer<git_reference>>();
+  final error = libgit2.git_reference_resolve(out, ref);
+
+  if (error < 0) {
+    throw LibGit2Error(libgit2.git_error_last());
+  } else {
+    return out.value;
+  }
+}
+
 /// Lookup a reference by name in a repository.
 ///
 /// The returned reference must be freed by the user.
diff --git a/lib/src/reference.dart b/lib/src/reference.dart
index be58273..c04b7b1 100644
--- a/lib/src/reference.dart
+++ b/lib/src/reference.dart
@@ -60,18 +60,18 @@ class Reference {
         : ReferenceType.symbolic;
   }
 
-  /// Returns the SHA hex of the OID pointed to by a direct reference.
-  ///
-  /// Only available if the reference is direct (i.e. an object id reference, not a symbolic one).
+  /// Returns the SHA hex of the OID pointed to by a reference.
   String get target {
-    final oidPointer = bindings.target(_refPointer);
+    late final Pointer<git_oid>? oidPointer;
     final sha = '';
-    if (oidPointer == nullptr) {
-      return sha;
+
+    if (type == ReferenceType.direct) {
+      oidPointer = bindings.target(_refPointer);
     } else {
-      final oid = Oid(oidPointer!);
-      return oid.sha;
+      oidPointer = bindings.target(bindings.resolve(_refPointer));
     }
+
+    return oidPointer == nullptr ? sha : Oid(oidPointer!).sha;
   }
 
   /// Returns the full name of a reference.
diff --git a/test/reference_test.dart b/test/reference_test.dart
index 1c65343..05bf714 100644
--- a/test/reference_test.dart
+++ b/test/reference_test.dart
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ void main() {
     test('returns correct type of reference', () {
       expect(repo.head.type, ReferenceType.direct);
       repo.head.free();
+
+      final ref = Reference.lookup(repo, 'HEAD');
+      expect(ref.type, ReferenceType.symbolic);
+      ref.free();
     });
 
     test('returns SHA hex of direct reference', () {
@@ -40,6 +44,12 @@ void main() {
       repo.head.free();
     });
 
+    test('returns SHA hex of symbolic reference', () {
+      final ref = Reference.lookup(repo, 'HEAD');
+      expect(ref.target, lastCommit);
+      ref.free();
+    });
+
     test('returns the full name of a reference', () {
       expect(repo.head.name, 'refs/heads/master');
       repo.head.free();