diff --git a/news/fix-gistatus-for-detached-head-no-tags.rst b/news/fix-gistatus-for-detached-head-no-tags.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2a348dbd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/fix-gistatus-for-detached-head-no-tags.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+**Added:** None
+
+**Changed:** None
+
+**Deprecated:** None
+
+**Removed:** None
+
+**Fixed:**
+
+* gistatus: Fixed hash not being shown when in detaced HEAD and there are no tags
+
+**Security:** None
diff --git a/xonsh/prompt/gitstatus.py b/xonsh/prompt/gitstatus.py
index 2503c2d21..95e8ac562 100644
--- a/xonsh/prompt/gitstatus.py
+++ b/xonsh/prompt/gitstatus.py
@@ -70,11 +70,10 @@ def _get_def(key):
 
 
 def _get_tag_or_hash():
-    tag = _check_output(['git', 'describe', '--exact-match']).strip()
-    if tag:
-        return tag
+    tag_or_hash = _check_output(['git', 'describe', '--always']).strip()
     hash_ = _check_output(['git', 'rev-parse', '--short', 'HEAD']).strip()
-    return _get_def('HASH') + hash_
+    have_tag_name = tag_or_hash != hash_
+    return tag_or_hash if have_tag_name else _get_def('HASH') + hash_
 
 
 def _get_stash(gitdir):