diff --git a/data/model/repository.py b/data/model/repository.py
index 0b0d4ac6d..4684bc8af 100644
--- a/data/model/repository.py
+++ b/data/model/repository.py
@@ -620,3 +620,14 @@ def list_popular_public_repos(action_count_threshold, time_span, repo_kind='imag
           .group_by(RepositoryActionCount.repository, Repository.name, Namespace.username)
           .having(fn.Sum(RepositoryActionCount.count) >= action_count_threshold)
           .tuples())
+
+
+def is_empty(namespace_name, repository_name):
+  """ Returns if the repository referenced by the given namespace and name is empty. If the repo
+      doesn't exist, returns True.
+  """
+  try:
+    tag.list_repository_tags(namespace_name, repository_name).limit(1).get()
+    return False
+  except RepositoryTag.DoesNotExist:
+    return True
diff --git a/data/model/test/test_repository.py b/data/model/test/test_repository.py
index ee6bd0165..b5c6f741b 100644
--- a/data/model/test/test_repository.py
+++ b/data/model/test/test_repository.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import pytest
 
 from peewee import IntegrityError
 
-from data.model.repository import create_repository, purge_repository
+from data.model.repository import create_repository, purge_repository, is_empty
 from test.fixtures import *
 
 def test_duplicate_repository_different_kinds(initialized_db):
@@ -12,3 +12,10 @@ def test_duplicate_repository_different_kinds(initialized_db):
   # Try to create an app repo with the same name, which should fail.
   with pytest.raises(IntegrityError):
     create_repository('devtable', 'somenewrepo', None, repo_kind='application')
+
+
+def test_is_empty(initialized_db):
+  create_repository('devtable', 'somenewrepo', None, repo_kind='image')
+
+  assert is_empty('devtable', 'somenewrepo')
+  assert not is_empty('devtable', 'simple')
diff --git a/endpoints/web.py b/endpoints/web.py
index cd158bbc6..d4eaca385 100644
--- a/endpoints/web.py
+++ b/endpoints/web.py
@@ -479,11 +479,8 @@ def build_status_badge(namespace_name, repo_name):
     if not repo or token != repo.badge_token:
       abort(404)
 
-  # Lookup the tags for the repository.
-  tags = model.tag.list_repository_tags(namespace_name, repo_name)
-  is_empty = len(list(tags)) == 0
+  is_empty = model.repository.is_empty(namespace_name, repo_name)
   recent_build = model.build.get_recent_repository_build(namespace_name, repo_name)
-
   if not is_empty and (not recent_build or recent_build.phase == 'complete'):
     status_name = 'ready'
   elif recent_build and recent_build.phase == 'error':