diff --git a/pkg/cmd/pr/status/status.go b/pkg/cmd/pr/status/status.go
index e97770ce4..c15c0f7fd 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/pr/status/status.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/pr/status/status.go
@@ -214,8 +214,8 @@ func prSelectorForCurrentBranch(branchConfig git.BranchConfig, baseRepo ghrepo.I
 		branchOwner = r.RepoOwner()
 	}
 
-	selector := prHeadRef
 	if branchOwner != "" {
+		selector := prHeadRef
 		if strings.HasPrefix(branchConfig.MergeRef, "refs/heads/") {
 			selector = strings.TrimPrefix(branchConfig.MergeRef, "refs/heads/")
 		}
@@ -223,9 +223,10 @@ func prSelectorForCurrentBranch(branchConfig git.BranchConfig, baseRepo ghrepo.I
 		if !strings.EqualFold(branchOwner, baseRepo.RepoOwner()) {
 			selector = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", branchOwner, selector)
 		}
+		return 0, selector, nil
 	}
 
-	return 0, selector, nil
+	return 0, prHeadRef, nil
 }
 
 func totalApprovals(pr *api.PullRequest) int {
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/pr/status/status_test.go b/pkg/cmd/pr/status/status_test.go
index 94505aaba..431312155 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/pr/status/status_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/pr/status/status_test.go
@@ -387,6 +387,14 @@ func Test_prSelectorForCurrentBranch(t *testing.T) {
 		wantSelector string
 		wantError    error
 	}{
+		{
+			name:         "Empty branch config",
+			branchConfig: git.BranchConfig{},
+			prHeadRef:    "Frederick888/main",
+			wantPrNumber: 0,
+			wantSelector: "Frederick888/main",
+			wantError:    nil,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "The branch is configured to merge a special PR head ref",
 			branchConfig: git.BranchConfig{