diff --git a/http-client/lib/repo.ts b/http-client/lib/repo.ts
index e349fe1cc..217d9097d 100644
--- a/http-client/lib/repo.ts
+++ b/http-client/lib/repo.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import type { Fetcher, RequestOptions } from "./fetcher.js";
+
+import { ResponseError } from "./fetcher.js";
 import type { Commit, Commits } from "./repo/commit.js";
 import type { Issue } from "./repo/issue.js";
 import type { Patch } from "./repo/patch.js";
@@ -136,6 +138,8 @@ const treeStatsSchema = object({
 
 export type TreeStats = z.infer<typeof treeStatsSchema>;
 
+const commitCountSchema = object({ commits: number() });
+
 export type Tree = z.infer<typeof treeSchema>;
 
 const treeSchema = object({
@@ -337,6 +341,33 @@ export class Client {
     return tree;
   }
 
+  public async getCommitCountBySha(
+    rid: string,
+    sha: string,
+    options?: RequestOptions,
+  ): Promise<number> {
+    try {
+      const { commits } = await this.#fetcher.fetchOk(
+        {
+          method: "GET",
+          path: `repos/${rid}/stats/commits/${sha}`,
+          options,
+        },
+        commitCountSchema,
+      );
+      return commits;
+    } catch (error) {
+      // Older nodes don't serve the dedicated commit-count endpoint, so fall
+      // back to the tree stats endpoint, which also returns the commit count.
+      // TODO: Drop this fallback once enough nodes serve /stats/commits.
+      if (error instanceof ResponseError && error.status === 404) {
+        const stats = await this.getTreeStatsBySha(rid, sha, options);
+        return stats.commits;
+      }
+      throw error;
+    }
+  }
+
   public async getAllRemotes(
     rid: string,
     options?: RequestOptions,
diff --git a/http-client/tests/repo.test.ts b/http-client/tests/repo.test.ts
index e676a34b9..96435309e 100644
--- a/http-client/tests/repo.test.ts
+++ b/http-client/tests/repo.test.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ describe("repo", () => {
     await api.repo.getTreeStatsBySha(sourceBrowsingRid, aliceMainHead);
   });
 
+  test("#getCommitCountBySha(rid, sha)", async () => {
+    await api.repo.getCommitCountBySha(sourceBrowsingRid, aliceMainHead);
+  });
+
   test("#getTree(rid, sha, path)", async () => {
     await api.repo.getTree(sourceBrowsingRid, aliceMainHead, "src");
   });
diff --git a/src/views/repos/History.svelte b/src/views/repos/History.svelte
index 2eb518aa3..717648eb1 100644
--- a/src/views/repos/History.svelte
+++ b/src/views/repos/History.svelte
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@
   let totalCommits: number | undefined = undefined;
 
   function fetchTotalCommits(rid: string, sha: string) {
-    void api.repo.getTreeStatsBySha(rid, sha).then(stats => {
-      totalCommits = stats.commits;
+    void api.repo.getCommitCountBySha(rid, sha).then(commits => {
+      totalCommits = commits;
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/src/views/repos/Source/Header.svelte b/src/views/repos/Source/Header.svelte
index 3baed4ffb..d4bea54d3 100644
--- a/src/views/repos/Source/Header.svelte
+++ b/src/views/repos/Source/Header.svelte
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@
     if (cached !== undefined) {
       commitCount = cached;
     } else {
-      void api.repo.getTreeStatsBySha(rid, sha).then(stats => {
-        commitCountCache[sha] = stats.commits;
-        commitCount = stats.commits;
+      void api.repo.getCommitCountBySha(rid, sha).then(commits => {
+        commitCountCache[sha] = commits;
+        commitCount = commits;
       });
     }
   }