diff --git a/dvc/scm/git/backend/pygit2.py b/dvc/scm/git/backend/pygit2.py
index fe6b97d96..aeee30579 100644
--- a/dvc/scm/git/backend/pygit2.py
+++ b/dvc/scm/git/backend/pygit2.py
@@ -94,6 +94,15 @@ class Pygit2Backend(BaseGitBackend):  # pylint:disable=abstract-method
 
         return RefdbFsBackend(self.repo)
 
+    def _resolve_refish(self, refish: str):
+        from pygit2 import GIT_OBJ_COMMIT, Tag
+
+        commit, ref = self.repo.resolve_refish(refish)
+        if isinstance(commit, Tag):
+            ref = commit
+            commit = commit.peel(GIT_OBJ_COMMIT)
+        return commit, ref
+
     @property
     def default_signature(self):
         try:
@@ -153,7 +162,7 @@ class Pygit2Backend(BaseGitBackend):  # pylint:disable=abstract-method
                 if branch == "-":
                     branch = "@{-1}"
                 try:
-                    commit, ref = self.repo.resolve_refish(branch)
+                    commit, ref = self._resolve_refish(branch)
                 except (KeyError, GitError):
                     raise RevError(f"unknown Git revision '{branch}'")
                 self.repo.checkout_tree(commit, strategy=checkout_strategy)
@@ -213,7 +222,7 @@ class Pygit2Backend(BaseGitBackend):  # pylint:disable=abstract-method
         from pygit2 import GitError
 
         try:
-            commit, _ref = self.repo.resolve_refish(rev)
+            commit, _ref = self._resolve_refish(rev)
             return str(commit.id)
         except (KeyError, GitError):
             pass
@@ -233,7 +242,7 @@ class Pygit2Backend(BaseGitBackend):  # pylint:disable=abstract-method
         from pygit2 import GitError
 
         try:
-            commit, _ref = self.repo.resolve_refish(rev)
+            commit, _ref = self._resolve_refish(rev)
         except (KeyError, GitError):
             raise SCMError(f"Invalid commit '{rev}'")
         return GitCommit(
@@ -307,12 +316,12 @@ class Pygit2Backend(BaseGitBackend):  # pylint:disable=abstract-method
         from pygit2 import GitError
 
         def _contains(repo, ref, search_commit):
-            commit, _ref = self.repo.resolve_refish(ref)
+            commit, _ref = self._resolve_refish(ref)
             base = repo.merge_base(search_commit.id, commit.id)
             return base == search_commit.id
 
         try:
-            search_commit, _ref = self.repo.resolve_refish(rev)
+            search_commit, _ref = self._resolve_refish(rev)
         except (KeyError, GitError):
             raise SCMError(f"Invalid rev '{rev}'")
 
@@ -397,7 +406,7 @@ class Pygit2Backend(BaseGitBackend):  # pylint:disable=abstract-method
 
         # libgit2 stash apply only accepts refs/stash items by index. If rev is
         # not in refs/stash, we will push it onto the stash, and then pop it
-        commit, _ref = self.repo.resolve_refish(rev)
+        commit, _ref = self._resolve_refish(rev)
         stash = self.repo.references.get(Stash.DEFAULT_STASH)
         if stash:
             for i, entry in enumerate(stash.log()):
diff --git a/tests/unit/scm/test_git.py b/tests/unit/scm/test_git.py
index 3303b21b6..1c3b09daa 100644
--- a/tests/unit/scm/test_git.py
+++ b/tests/unit/scm/test_git.py
@@ -553,3 +553,30 @@ def test_add(tmp_dir, scm, git):
     assert set(staged["modify"]) == {"dir/baz"}
     assert len(unstaged) == 1
     assert len(untracked) == 1
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("use_sha", [True, False])
+def test_pygit_resolve_refish(tmp_dir, scm, git, use_sha):
+    import pygit2
+
+    if git.test_backend != "pygit2":
+        pytest.skip()
+
+    tmp_dir.scm_gen("foo", "foo", commit="foo")
+    head = scm.get_rev()
+    tag = "my_tag"
+    scm.gitpython.git.tag("-a", tag, "-m", "create annotated tag")
+
+    if use_sha:
+        # refish will be annotated tag SHA (not commit SHA)
+        ref = git.pygit2.repo.references.get(f"refs/tags/{tag}")
+        refish = str(ref.target)
+    else:
+        refish = tag
+
+    assert refish != head
+    commit, ref = git.pygit2._resolve_refish(refish)
+    assert isinstance(commit, pygit2.Commit)
+    assert str(commit.id) == head
+    if not use_sha:
+        assert ref.name == f"refs/tags/{tag}"