diff --git a/gerrit-httpd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/httpd/raw/CatServlet.java b/gerrit-httpd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/httpd/raw/CatServlet.java
index 7e298aa0f6..298301d4ec 100644
--- a/gerrit-httpd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/httpd/raw/CatServlet.java
+++ b/gerrit-httpd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/httpd/raw/CatServlet.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import java.util.Optional;
 import javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet;
 import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
 import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
 
 /**
  * Exports a single version of a patch as a normal file download.
@@ -126,7 +127,7 @@ public class CatServlet extends HttpServlet {
         try {
           Optional<ChangeEdit> edit = changeEditUtil.byChange(control.getChange());
           if (edit.isPresent()) {
-            revision = edit.get().getRevision().get();
+            revision = ObjectId.toString(edit.get().getEditCommit());
           } else {
             rsp.sendError(HttpServletResponse.SC_NOT_FOUND);
             return;
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/ChangeEditResource.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/ChangeEditResource.java
index 108e180bf8..1695d0c2fd 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/ChangeEditResource.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/ChangeEditResource.java
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ package com.google.gerrit.server.change;
 
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.RestResource;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.RestView;
-import com.google.gerrit.reviewdb.client.Account;
-import com.google.gerrit.server.IdentifiedUser;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.edit.ChangeEdit;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.project.ChangeControl;
 import com.google.inject.TypeLiteral;
@@ -67,12 +65,4 @@ public class ChangeEditResource implements RestResource {
   public String getPath() {
     return path;
   }
-
-  Account.Id getAccountId() {
-    return getUser().getAccountId();
-  }
-
-  IdentifiedUser getUser() {
-    return edit.getUser();
-  }
 }
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/ChangeEdits.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/ChangeEdits.java
index fbb2115c89..332c3c6da9 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/ChangeEdits.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/ChangeEdits.java
@@ -229,7 +229,8 @@ public class ChangeEdits
         }
         try {
           editInfo.files =
-              fileInfoJson.toFileInfoMap(rsrc.getChange(), edit.get().getRevision(), basePatchSet);
+              fileInfoJson.toFileInfoMap(
+                  rsrc.getChange(), edit.get().getEditCommit(), basePatchSet);
         } catch (PatchListNotAvailableException e) {
           throw new ResourceNotFoundException(e.getMessage());
         }
@@ -395,7 +396,7 @@ public class ChangeEdits
                 rsrc.getControl().getProjectControl().getProjectState(),
                 base
                     ? ObjectId.fromString(edit.getBasePatchSet().getRevision().get())
-                    : ObjectId.fromString(edit.getRevision().get()),
+                    : edit.getEditCommit(),
                 rsrc.getPath()));
       } catch (ResourceNotFoundException rnfe) {
         return Response.none();
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJson.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJson.java
index 60a4daf263..b25b588bb5 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJson.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/FileInfoJson.java
@@ -48,9 +48,14 @@ public class FileInfoJson {
 
   Map<String, FileInfo> toFileInfoMap(Change change, RevId revision, @Nullable PatchSet base)
       throws PatchListNotAvailableException {
+    ObjectId objectId = ObjectId.fromString(revision.get());
+    return toFileInfoMap(change, objectId, base);
+  }
+
+  Map<String, FileInfo> toFileInfoMap(Change change, ObjectId objectId, @Nullable PatchSet base)
+      throws PatchListNotAvailableException {
     ObjectId a = (base == null) ? null : ObjectId.fromString(base.getRevision().get());
-    ObjectId b = ObjectId.fromString(revision.get());
-    return toFileInfoMap(change, new PatchListKey(a, b, Whitespace.IGNORE_NONE));
+    return toFileInfoMap(change, new PatchListKey(a, objectId, Whitespace.IGNORE_NONE));
   }
 
   Map<String, FileInfo> toFileInfoMap(Change change, RevId revision, int parent)
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/PublishChangeEdit.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/PublishChangeEdit.java
index 0e72979565..3acb93b08e 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/PublishChangeEdit.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/PublishChangeEdit.java
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ public class PublishChangeEdit
       if (in == null) {
         in = new PublishChangeEditInput();
       }
-      editUtil.publish(edit.get(), in.notify, notifyUtil.resolveAccounts(in.notifyDetails));
+      editUtil.publish(
+          rsrc.getControl(), edit.get(), in.notify, notifyUtil.resolveAccounts(in.notifyDetails));
       return Response.none();
     }
   }
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/Revisions.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/Revisions.java
index a16f2f92cd..5ecb90428e 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/Revisions.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/Revisions.java
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Optional;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
 
 @Singleton
 public class Revisions implements ChildCollection<ChangeResource, RevisionResource> {
@@ -143,8 +144,9 @@ public class Revisions implements ChildCollection<ChangeResource, RevisionResour
     Optional<ChangeEdit> edit = editUtil.byChange(change.getChange());
     if (edit.isPresent()) {
       PatchSet ps = new PatchSet(new PatchSet.Id(change.getId(), 0));
-      ps.setRevision(edit.get().getRevision());
-      if (revid == null || edit.get().getRevision().equals(revid)) {
+      RevId editRevId = new RevId(ObjectId.toString(edit.get().getEditCommit()));
+      ps.setRevision(editRevId);
+      if (revid == null || editRevId.equals(revid)) {
         return Collections.singletonList(new RevisionResource(change, ps, edit));
       }
     }
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/edit/ChangeEdit.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/edit/ChangeEdit.java
index a6464a7461..e641abcd8e 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/edit/ChangeEdit.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/edit/ChangeEdit.java
@@ -18,11 +18,6 @@ import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
 
 import com.google.gerrit.reviewdb.client.Change;
 import com.google.gerrit.reviewdb.client.PatchSet;
-import com.google.gerrit.reviewdb.client.RefNames;
-import com.google.gerrit.reviewdb.client.RevId;
-import com.google.gerrit.server.IdentifiedUser;
-import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
-import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.revwalk.RevCommit;
 
 /**
@@ -33,44 +28,25 @@ import org.eclipse.jgit.revwalk.RevCommit;
  * change number and P is the patch set number it is based on.
  */
 public class ChangeEdit {
-  private final IdentifiedUser user;
   private final Change change;
-  private final Ref ref;
+  private final String editRefName;
   private final RevCommit editCommit;
   private final PatchSet basePatchSet;
 
   public ChangeEdit(
-      IdentifiedUser user, Change change, Ref ref, RevCommit editCommit, PatchSet basePatchSet) {
-    checkNotNull(user);
-    checkNotNull(change);
-    checkNotNull(ref);
-    checkNotNull(editCommit);
-    checkNotNull(basePatchSet);
-    this.user = user;
-    this.change = change;
-    this.ref = ref;
-    this.editCommit = editCommit;
-    this.basePatchSet = basePatchSet;
+      Change change, String editRefName, RevCommit editCommit, PatchSet basePatchSet) {
+    this.change = checkNotNull(change);
+    this.editRefName = checkNotNull(editRefName);
+    this.editCommit = checkNotNull(editCommit);
+    this.basePatchSet = checkNotNull(basePatchSet);
   }
 
   public Change getChange() {
     return change;
   }
 
-  public IdentifiedUser getUser() {
-    return user;
-  }
-
-  public Ref getRef() {
-    return ref;
-  }
-
-  public RevId getRevision() {
-    return new RevId(ObjectId.toString(ref.getObjectId()));
-  }
-
   public String getRefName() {
-    return RefNames.refsEdit(user.getAccountId(), change.getId(), basePatchSet.getId());
+    return editRefName;
   }
 
   public RevCommit getEditCommit() {
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/edit/ChangeEditModifier.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/edit/ChangeEditModifier.java
index d5d973b10e..f3045e33ff 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/edit/ChangeEditModifier.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/edit/ChangeEditModifier.java
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.NullProgressMonitor;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectInserter;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.PersonIdent;
-import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.RefUpdate;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.merge.MergeStrategy;
@@ -531,9 +530,7 @@ public class ChangeEditModifier {
     reindex(change);
 
     RevCommit newEditCommit = lookupCommit(repository, newEditCommitId);
-    Ref ref = repository.getRefDatabase().exactRef(editRefName);
-    return new ChangeEdit(
-        currentUser.get().asIdentifiedUser(), change, ref, newEditCommit, basePatchSet);
+    return new ChangeEdit(change, editRefName, newEditCommit, basePatchSet);
   }
 
   private String getEditRefName(Change change, PatchSet basePatchSet) {
@@ -551,11 +548,7 @@ public class ChangeEditModifier {
 
     RevCommit newEditCommit = lookupCommit(repository, newEditCommitId);
     return new ChangeEdit(
-        changeEdit.getUser(),
-        changeEdit.getChange(),
-        changeEdit.getRef(),
-        newEditCommit,
-        changeEdit.getBasePatchSet());
+        changeEdit.getChange(), editRefName, newEditCommit, changeEdit.getBasePatchSet());
   }
 
   private void updateReference(
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/edit/ChangeEditUtil.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/edit/ChangeEditUtil.java
index 0cfdeedda2..78352dc685 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/edit/ChangeEditUtil.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/edit/ChangeEditUtil.java
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ public class ChangeEditUtil {
       try (RevWalk rw = new RevWalk(repo)) {
         RevCommit commit = rw.parseCommit(ref.getObjectId());
         PatchSet basePs = getBasePatchSet(ctl, ref);
-        return Optional.of(new ChangeEdit(u, change, ref, commit, basePs));
+        return Optional.of(new ChangeEdit(change, ref.getName(), commit, basePs));
       }
     }
   }
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ public class ChangeEditUtil {
   /**
    * Promote change edit to patch set, by squashing the edit into its parent.
    *
+   * @param ctl the {@code ChangeControl} of the change to which the change edit belongs
    * @param edit change edit to publish
    * @param notify Notify handling that defines to whom email notifications should be sent after the
    *     change edit is published.
@@ -167,6 +168,7 @@ public class ChangeEditUtil {
    * @throws RestApiException
    */
   public void publish(
+      ChangeControl ctl,
       final ChangeEdit edit,
       NotifyHandling notify,
       ListMultimap<RecipientType, Account.Id> accountsToNotify)
@@ -181,7 +183,6 @@ public class ChangeEditUtil {
       }
 
       RevCommit squashed = squashEdit(rw, oi, edit.getEditCommit(), basePatchSet);
-      ChangeControl ctl = changeControlFactory.controlFor(db.get(), change, edit.getUser());
       PatchSet.Id psId = ChangeUtil.nextPatchSetId(repo, change.currentPatchSetId());
       PatchSetInserter inserter =
           patchSetInserterFactory
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ public class ChangeEditUtil {
   private static void deleteRef(Repository repo, ChangeEdit edit) throws IOException {
     String refName = edit.getRefName();
     RefUpdate ru = repo.updateRef(refName, true);
-    ru.setExpectedOldObjectId(edit.getRef().getObjectId());
+    ru.setExpectedOldObjectId(edit.getEditCommit());
     ru.setForceUpdate(true);
     RefUpdate.Result result = ru.delete();
     switch (result) {
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ReceiveCommits.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ReceiveCommits.java
index c0efac90c6..193d5b413b 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ReceiveCommits.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ReceiveCommits.java
@@ -2467,13 +2467,12 @@ public class ReceiveCommits {
         if (edit.get().getBasePatchSet().getId().equals(psId)) {
           // replace edit
           cmd =
-              new ReceiveCommand(
-                  edit.get().getRef().getObjectId(), newCommitId, edit.get().getRefName());
+              new ReceiveCommand(edit.get().getEditCommit(), newCommitId, edit.get().getRefName());
         } else {
           // delete old edit ref on rebase
           prev =
               new ReceiveCommand(
-                  edit.get().getRef().getObjectId(), ObjectId.zeroId(), edit.get().getRefName());
+                  edit.get().getEditCommit(), ObjectId.zeroId(), edit.get().getRefName());
           createEditCommand();
         }
       } else {
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/PatchScriptFactory.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/PatchScriptFactory.java
index 82c6150a64..9e80f385bb 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/PatchScriptFactory.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/patch/PatchScriptFactory.java
@@ -253,9 +253,7 @@ public class PatchScriptFactory implements Callable<PatchScript> {
     return b;
   }
 
-  private ObjectId toObjectId(PatchSet ps)
-      throws NoSuchChangeException, AuthException, NoSuchChangeException, IOException,
-          OrmException {
+  private ObjectId toObjectId(PatchSet ps) throws AuthException, IOException, OrmException {
     if (ps.getId().get() == 0) {
       return getEditRev();
     }
@@ -271,11 +269,10 @@ public class PatchScriptFactory implements Callable<PatchScript> {
     }
   }
 
-  private ObjectId getEditRev()
-      throws AuthException, NoSuchChangeException, IOException, OrmException {
+  private ObjectId getEditRev() throws AuthException, IOException, OrmException {
     edit = editReader.byChange(change);
     if (edit.isPresent()) {
-      return edit.get().getRef().getObjectId();
+      return edit.get().getEditCommit();
     }
     throw new NoSuchChangeException(change.getId());
   }