diff --git a/modules/repofiles/content.go b/modules/repofiles/content.go
index 838bfabdc..620185805 100644
--- a/modules/repofiles/content.go
+++ b/modules/repofiles/content.go
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ func GetContents(repo *models.Repository, treePath, ref string, forList bool) (*
 	}
 	// Handle links
 	if entry.IsRegular() || entry.IsLink() {
+		ref = fmt.Sprintf("%s", strings.Replace(ref, "%", "%25", -1))
 		downloadURL, err := url.Parse(fmt.Sprintf("%s/raw/%s/%s/%s", repo.HTMLURL(), refType, ref, treePath))
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
diff --git a/routers/api/v1/repo/repo.go b/routers/api/v1/repo/repo.go
index eb1bef5a7..2e551ef83 100644
--- a/routers/api/v1/repo/repo.go
+++ b/routers/api/v1/repo/repo.go
@@ -1152,8 +1152,13 @@ func PrepareCompareDiff(
 		ctx.ServerError("GetDiffRange", err)
 		return false
 	}
-	ctx.Data["Diff"] = diff
-	ctx.Data["DiffNotAvailable"] = diff.NumFiles == 0
+	if diff.NumFiles == 0 {
+		ctx.Data["Diff"] = nil
+		ctx.Data["DiffNotAvailable"] = true
+	} else {
+		ctx.Data["Diff"] = diff
+		ctx.Data["DiffNotAvailable"] = false
+	}
 
 	return false
 }