diff --git a/pkg/build/pipelines/git-checkout.yaml b/pkg/build/pipelines/git-checkout.yaml
index 2da3001a9..d013ff803 100644
--- a/pkg/build/pipelines/git-checkout.yaml
+++ b/pkg/build/pipelines/git-checkout.yaml
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ inputs:
 
 pipeline:
   - runs: |
+      set -x
       if [ -z "${{inputs.branch}}" ] && [ -z "${{inputs.tag}}" ]; then
         echo "Warning (git-checkout): you have not specified a branch or tag."
       fi
@@ -54,21 +55,35 @@ pipeline:
       workdir=$(mktemp -d)
       mkdir -p '${{inputs.destination}}'
       clone_fullpath=$(realpath '${{inputs.destination}}')
+      referenceRepo="/var/cache/melange/${{package.name}}.git"
 
       git config --global --add safe.directory $workdir
       git config --global --add safe.directory $clone_fullpath
-      git clone $git_clone_flags $clone_target --depth '${{inputs.depth}}' '${{inputs.repository}}' $workdir
+      git config --global --add safe.directory $referenceRepo
+      git config --global advice.detachedHead false
+      git config --global init.defaultBranch main
+
+      # Init or re-init
+      git init --bare $referenceRepo
+      # Populate or update cache
+      if [ -n '${{inputs.tag}}' ]; then
+        git -C $referenceRepo fetch --progress $git_clone_flags --depth '${{inputs.depth}}' '${{inputs.repository}}' tag '${{inputs.tag}}'
+      elif [ -n '${{inputs.branch}}' ]; then
+        git -C $referenceRepo fetch --progress $git_clone_flags --depth '${{inputs.depth}}' '${{inputs.repository}}' '${{inputs.branch}}:${{inputs.branch}}'
+      elif
+        git -C $referenceRepo fetch --progress $git_clone_flags --depth '${{inputs.depth}}' '${{inputs.repository}}' HEAD:main
+      fi
+      # Do clone like before, but with reference
+      
 
       cd $workdir
       tar -c . | (cd $clone_fullpath && tar -x)
       rm -rf $workdir
       cd $clone_fullpath
-      git config --global --add safe.directory $clone_fullpath
 
       if [ -z "${{inputs.expected-commit}}" ]; then
         echo "Warning (git-checkout): no expected-commit"
       elif [ -n '${{inputs.branch}}' ]; then
-        git config --global advice.detachedHead false
         remote_commit=$(git rev-parse --verify --end-of-options "refs/heads/${{inputs.branch}}")
         if [[ '${{inputs.expected-commit}}' != "$remote_commit" ]]; then
           echo "Error (git-checkout): expect commit ${{inputs.expected-commit}}, got $remote_commit"