diff --git a/src/git/models/repository.ts b/src/git/models/repository.ts
index 11619ad..529e5bc 100644
--- a/src/git/models/repository.ts
+++ b/src/git/models/repository.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import { Logger } from '../../logger';
 import { Messages } from '../../messages';
 import { GitBranchReference, GitReference, GitTagReference } from './models';
 import { RemoteProviderFactory, RemoteProviders, RichRemoteProvider } from '../remotes/factory';
-import { Arrays, debug, Functions, gate, Iterables, log, logName } from '../../system';
+import { Arrays, Dates, debug, Functions, gate, Iterables, log, logName } from '../../system';
 import { runGitCommandInTerminal } from '../../terminal';
 
 const ignoreGitRegex = /\.git(?:\/|\\|$)/;
@@ -88,6 +88,21 @@ export interface RepositoryFileSystemChangeEvent {
 
 @logName<Repository>((r, name) => `${name}(${r.id})`)
 export class Repository implements Disposable {
+	static formatLastFetched(lastFetched: number): string {
+		return Date.now() - lastFetched < Dates.MillisecondsPerDay
+			? Dates.getFormatter(new Date(lastFetched)).fromNow()
+			: Dates.getFormatter(new Date(lastFetched)).format(
+					Container.config.defaultDateShortFormat ?? 'MMM D, YYYY',
+			  );
+	}
+
+	static getLastFetchedUpdateInterval(lastFetched: number): number {
+		const timeDiff = Date.now() - lastFetched;
+		return timeDiff < Dates.MillisecondsPerDay
+			? (timeDiff < Dates.MillisecondsPerHour ? Dates.MillisecondsPerMinute : Dates.MillisecondsPerHour) / 2
+			: 0;
+	}
+
 	static sort(repositories: Repository[]) {
 		return repositories.sort((a, b) => (a.starred ? -1 : 1) - (b.starred ? -1 : 1) || a.index - b.index);
 	}
@@ -229,6 +244,8 @@ export class Repository implements Disposable {
 
 	@debug()
 	private onRepositoryChanged(uri: Uri | undefined) {
+		this._lastFetched = undefined;
+
 		if (uri == null) {
 			this.fireChange(RepositoryChange.Unknown);
 
@@ -454,16 +471,25 @@ export class Repository implements Disposable {
 		return Container.git.getContributors(this.path);
 	}
 
+	private _lastFetched: number | undefined;
+	@gate()
 	async getLastFetched(): Promise<number> {
-		const hasRemotes = await this.hasRemotes();
-		if (!hasRemotes || Container.vsls.isMaybeGuest) return 0;
+		if (this._lastFetched == null) {
+			const hasRemotes = await this.hasRemotes();
+			if (!hasRemotes || Container.vsls.isMaybeGuest) return 0;
+		}
 
 		try {
 			const stat = await workspace.fs.stat(Uri.file(paths.join(this.path, '.git/FETCH_HEAD')));
-			return stat.mtime;
+			// If the file is empty, assume the fetch failed, and don't update the timestamp
+			if (stat.size > 0) {
+				this._lastFetched = stat.mtime;
+			}
 		} catch {
-			return 0;
+			this._lastFetched = undefined;
 		}
+
+		return this._lastFetched ?? 0;
 	}
 
 	getRemotes(_options: { sort?: boolean } = {}): Promise<GitRemote[]> {
diff --git a/src/views/commitsView.ts b/src/views/commitsView.ts
index 46d267d..038e0f3 100644
--- a/src/views/commitsView.ts
+++ b/src/views/commitsView.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {
 	CancellationToken,
 	commands,
 	ConfigurationChangeEvent,
+	Disposable,
 	ProgressLocation,
 	TreeItem,
 	TreeItemCollapsibleState,
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@ import {
 	GitReference,
 	GitRemote,
 	GitRevisionReference,
+	Repository,
 	RepositoryChange,
 	RepositoryChangeEvent,
 } from '../git/git';
@@ -29,7 +31,7 @@ import {
 	unknownGitUri,
 	ViewNode,
 } from './nodes';
-import { Dates, debug, gate, Strings } from '../system';
+import { Dates, debug, Functions, gate, Strings } from '../system';
 import { ViewBase } from './viewBase';
 
 export class CommitsRepositoryNode extends RepositoryFolderNode<CommitsView, BranchNode> {
@@ -87,9 +89,7 @@ export class CommitsRepositoryNode extends RepositoryFolderNode<CommitsView, Bra
 
 			const status = branch?.getTrackingStatus();
 			item.description = `${status ? `${status} ${GlyphChars.Dot} ` : ''}${branch.name}${
-				lastFetched
-					? ` ${GlyphChars.Dot} Last fetched ${Dates.getFormatter(new Date(lastFetched)).fromNow()}`
-					: ''
+				lastFetched ? ` ${GlyphChars.Dot} Last fetched ${Repository.formatLastFetched(lastFetched)}` : ''
 			}`;
 
 			let providerName;
@@ -134,6 +134,27 @@ export class CommitsRepositoryNode extends RepositoryFolderNode<CommitsView, Bra
 		await this.ensureSubscription();
 	}
 
+	@debug()
+	protected async subscribe() {
+		const lastFetched = (await this.repo?.getLastFetched()) ?? 0;
+
+		const interval = Repository.getLastFetchedUpdateInterval(lastFetched);
+		if (lastFetched !== 0 && interval > 0) {
+			return Disposable.from(
+				await super.subscribe(),
+				Functions.interval(() => {
+					// Check if the interval should change, and if so, reset it
+					if (interval !== Repository.getLastFetchedUpdateInterval(lastFetched)) {
+						void this.resetSubscription();
+					}
+					void this.view.triggerNodeChange(this);
+				}, interval),
+			);
+		}
+
+		return super.subscribe();
+	}
+
 	protected changed(e: RepositoryChangeEvent) {
 		return (
 			e.changed(RepositoryChange.Config) ||
@@ -179,9 +200,7 @@ export class CommitsViewNode extends ViewNode<CommitsView> {
 
 				const status = branch.getTrackingStatus();
 				this.view.description = `${status ? `${status} ${GlyphChars.Dot} ` : ''}${branch.name}${
-					lastFetched
-						? ` ${GlyphChars.Dot} Last fetched ${Dates.getFormatter(new Date(lastFetched)).fromNow()}`
-						: ''
+					lastFetched ? ` ${GlyphChars.Dot} Last fetched ${Repository.formatLastFetched(lastFetched)}` : ''
 				}`;
 			} else {
 				this.view.description = undefined;
diff --git a/src/views/contributorsView.ts b/src/views/contributorsView.ts
index 0c00887..3fb789f 100644
--- a/src/views/contributorsView.ts
+++ b/src/views/contributorsView.ts
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ export class ContributorsRepositoryNode extends RepositoryFolderNode<Contributor
 	}
 
 	@debug()
-	protected subscribe() {
+	protected async subscribe() {
 		return Disposable.from(
-			super.subscribe(),
+			await super.subscribe(),
 			Avatars.onDidFetch(e => this.child?.updateAvatar(e.email)),
 		);
 	}
diff --git a/src/views/nodes/viewNode.ts b/src/views/nodes/viewNode.ts
index 6d83a67..b04d5b2 100644
--- a/src/views/nodes/viewNode.ts
+++ b/src/views/nodes/viewNode.ts
@@ -298,6 +298,13 @@ export abstract class SubscribeableViewNode<TView extends View = View> extends V
 		this.subscription = Promise.resolve(this.subscribe());
 		await this.subscription;
 	}
+
+	@gate()
+	@debug()
+	async resetSubscription() {
+		await this.unsubscribe();
+		await this.ensureSubscription();
+	}
 }
 
 export abstract class RepositoryFolderNode<
@@ -375,7 +382,7 @@ export abstract class RepositoryFolderNode<
 	}
 
 	@debug()
-	protected subscribe() {
+	protected subscribe(): Disposable | Promise<Disposable> {
 		return this.repo.onDidChange(this.onRepositoryChanged, this);
 	}