diff --git a/models/git/branch.go b/models/git/branch.go
index 6021e1101f..edbecf95a7 100644
--- a/models/git/branch.go
+++ b/models/git/branch.go
@@ -156,6 +156,19 @@ func init() {
 	db.RegisterModel(new(RenamedBranch))
 }
 
+func GetBranchByID(ctx context.Context, branchID int64) (*Branch, error) {
+	var branch Branch
+	has, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).ID(branchID).Get(&branch)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	} else if !has {
+		return nil, ErrBranchNotExist{
+			RepoID: branch.RepoID,
+		}
+	}
+	return &branch, nil
+}
+
 func GetBranch(ctx context.Context, repoID int64, branchName string) (*Branch, error) {
 	var branch Branch
 	has, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).Where("repo_id=?", repoID).And("name=?", branchName).Get(&branch)
diff --git a/models/issues/issue_dev_link.go b/models/issues/issue_dev_link.go
index f567d35673..17d2b68b0b 100644
--- a/models/issues/issue_dev_link.go
+++ b/models/issues/issue_dev_link.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ type IssueDevLink struct {
 	IssueID       int64 `xorm:"INDEX"`
 	LinkType      IssueDevLinkType
 	LinkedRepoID  int64                  `xorm:"INDEX"` // it can link to self repo or other repo
-	LinkIndex     string                 // branch name, pull request number or commit sha
+	LinkID        int64                  // branch id in branch table or pull request id
 	CreatedUnix   timeutil.TimeStamp     `xorm:"INDEX created"`
 	Repo          *repo_model.Repository `xorm:"-"` // current repo of issue
 	LinkedRepo    *repo_model.Repository `xorm:"-"`
diff --git a/models/migrations/v1_25/v322.go b/models/migrations/v1_25/v322.go
index ef3441a28f..bf905d69ec 100644
--- a/models/migrations/v1_25/v322.go
+++ b/models/migrations/v1_25/v322.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ func CreateTableIssueDevLink(x *xorm.Engine) error {
 		IssueID      int64 `xorm:"INDEX"`
 		LinkType     int
 		LinkedRepoID int64              `xorm:"INDEX"` // it can link to self repo or other repo
-		LinkIndex    string             // branch name, pull request number or commit sha
+		LinkID       int64              // branch id in branch table or pull request id
 		CreatedUnix  timeutil.TimeStamp `xorm:"INDEX created"`
 	}
 	return x.Sync(new(IssueDevLink))
diff --git a/routers/web/repo/issue_dev.go b/routers/web/repo/issue_dev.go
index 33ec9c03ed..61918a760c 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/issue_dev.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/issue_dev.go
@@ -99,11 +99,17 @@ func CreateBranchFromIssue(ctx *context.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	branch, err := git_model.GetBranch(ctx, repo.ID, form.NewBranchName)
+	if err != nil {
+		ctx.ServerError("GetBranch", err)
+		return
+	}
+
 	if err := issues_model.CreateIssueDevLink(ctx, &issues_model.IssueDevLink{
 		IssueID:      issue.ID,
 		LinkType:     issues_model.IssueDevLinkTypeBranch,
 		LinkedRepoID: repo.ID,
-		LinkIndex:    form.NewBranchName,
+		LinkID:       branch.ID,
 	}); err != nil {
 		ctx.ServerError("CreateIssueDevLink", err)
 		return
diff --git a/services/issue/dev_link.go b/services/issue/dev_link.go
index e8004a95b0..492a2c5240 100644
--- a/services/issue/dev_link.go
+++ b/services/issue/dev_link.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"sort"
-	"strconv"
 
 	git_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/git"
 	issues_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/issues"
@@ -49,11 +48,7 @@ func FindIssueDevLinksByIssue(ctx context.Context, issue *issues_model.Issue) (i
 
 		switch link.LinkType {
 		case issues_model.IssueDevLinkTypePullRequest:
-			pullID, err := strconv.ParseInt(link.LinkIndex, 10, 64)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			pull, err := issues_model.GetPullRequestByID(ctx, pullID)
+			pull, err := issues_model.GetPullRequestByID(ctx, link.LinkID)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
@@ -64,15 +59,15 @@ func FindIssueDevLinksByIssue(ctx context.Context, issue *issues_model.Issue) (i
 			}
 			pull.Issue.Repo = issue.Repo
 			link.PullRequest = pull
-			branchPRExists.Add(fmt.Sprintf("%d-%s", link.LinkedRepoID, pull.HeadBranch))
+			branchPRExists.Add(fmt.Sprintf("%d-%d-%s", link.LinkedRepoID, link.LinkType, pull.HeadBranch))
 		case issues_model.IssueDevLinkTypeBranch:
-			branch, err := git_model.GetBranch(ctx, link.LinkedRepoID, link.LinkIndex)
+			branch, err := git_model.GetBranchByID(ctx, link.LinkID)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
 			link.Branch = branch
 			link.Branch.Repo = link.LinkedRepo
-			link.DisplayBranch = !branchPRExists.Contains(fmt.Sprintf("%d-%s", link.LinkedRepoID, link.LinkIndex))
+			link.DisplayBranch = !branchPRExists.Contains(fmt.Sprintf("%d-%d-%d", link.LinkedRepoID, link.LinkType, link.LinkID))
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/services/pull/pull.go b/services/pull/pull.go
index 3b8a63ef3e..4a96088b94 100644
--- a/services/pull/pull.go
+++ b/services/pull/pull.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"regexp"
-	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -152,7 +151,7 @@ func NewPullRequest(ctx context.Context, opts *NewPullRequestOptions) error {
 					IssueID:      link.IssueID,
 					LinkType:     issues_model.IssueDevLinkTypePullRequest,
 					LinkedRepoID: pr.HeadRepoID,
-					LinkIndex:    strconv.FormatInt(pr.ID, 10),
+					LinkID:       pr.ID,
 				}); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}