diff --git a/tutormfe/plugin.py b/tutormfe/plugin.py
index 1a1fa5ff..7968b148 100644
--- a/tutormfe/plugin.py
+++ b/tutormfe/plugin.py
@@ -28,65 +28,41 @@
     },
 }
 
-
-def get_github_refs_path(name: str) -> str:
-    """
-    Generate a URL to access refs in heads (nightly) or tags (stable) via Github API.
-    Args:
-        name (str): Consisted of the repository owner and the repository name, as a string in 'owner/repo' format.
-
-    Returns:
-        str: A string URL to the Github API, pointing to heads if version_suffix is set, tags otherwise.
-
-    """
-
-    return f"https://api.github.com/repos/{name}/git/refs/{'heads' if __version_suffix__ else 'tags'}"
-
-
 CORE_MFE_APPS: dict[str, MFE_ATTRS_TYPE] = {
     "authn": {
         "repository": "https://github.com/openedx/frontend-app-authn",
-        "refs": get_github_refs_path("openedx/frontend-app-authn"),
         "port": 1999,
     },
     "account": {
         "repository": "https://github.com/openedx/frontend-app-account",
-        "refs": get_github_refs_path("openedx/frontend-app-account"),
         "port": 1997,
     },
     "communications": {
         "repository": "https://github.com/openedx/frontend-app-communications",
-        "refs": get_github_refs_path("openedx/frontend-app-communications"),
         "port": 1984,
     },
     "course-authoring": {
         "repository": "https://github.com/openedx/frontend-app-course-authoring",
-        "refs": get_github_refs_path("openedx/frontend-app-course-authoring"),
         "port": 2001,
     },
     "discussions": {
         "repository": "https://github.com/openedx/frontend-app-discussions",
-        "refs": get_github_refs_path("openedx/frontend-app-discussions"),
         "port": 2002,
     },
     "gradebook": {
         "repository": "https://github.com/openedx/frontend-app-gradebook",
-        "refs": get_github_refs_path("openedx/frontend-app-gradebook"),
         "port": 1994,
     },
     "learning": {
         "repository": "https://github.com/openedx/frontend-app-learning",
-        "refs": get_github_refs_path("openedx/frontend-app-learning"),
         "port": 2000,
     },
     "ora-grading": {
         "repository": "https://github.com/openedx/frontend-app-ora-grading",
-        "refs": get_github_refs_path("openedx/frontend-app-ora-grading"),
         "port": 1993,
     },
     "profile": {
         "repository": "https://github.com/openedx/frontend-app-profile",
-        "refs": get_github_refs_path("openedx/frontend-app-profile"),
         "port": 1995,
     },
 }
diff --git a/tutormfe/templates/mfe/build/mfe/Dockerfile b/tutormfe/templates/mfe/build/mfe/Dockerfile
index f0d74c26..f7b2be5c 100644
--- a/tutormfe/templates/mfe/build/mfe/Dockerfile
+++ b/tutormfe/templates/mfe/build/mfe/Dockerfile
@@ -34,10 +34,7 @@ RUN echo "copying i18n data" \
 ######## {{ app_name }} (git)
 FROM base AS {{ app_name }}-git
 {#- Invalidate the build cache if a change is detected upstream #}
-{%- if app.get("refs") %}
-ADD {{ app["refs"] }}/{{ app.get("version", MFE_COMMON_VERSION) }} /tmp/gitref-{{ app_name }}
-{%- endif %}
-RUN git clone {{ app["repository"] }} --branch {{ app.get("version", MFE_COMMON_VERSION) }} --depth 1 .
+ADD --keep-git-dir=true {{ app["repository"] }}#{{ app.get("version", MFE_COMMON_VERSION) }} .
 
 ######## {{ app_name }} (src)
 # Empty layer with just the repo at the root, for build-time bind-mounts