@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ def set_object(self, object: Union[Commit_ish, 'SymbolicReference', str], logmsg
     commit = property(_get_commit, set_commit, doc="Query or set commits directly")       # type: ignore
     object = property(_get_object, set_object, doc="Return the object our ref currently refers to")  # type: ignore
 
-    def _get_reference(self) -> 'Reference':
+    def _get_reference(self) -> 'SymbolicReference':
         """:return: Reference Object we point to
         :raise TypeError: If this symbolic reference is detached, hence it doesn't point
             to a reference, but to a commit"""
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@ def iter_items(cls: Type[T_References], repo: 'Repo', common_path: Union[PathLik
         return (r for r in cls._iter_items(repo, common_path) if r.__class__ == SymbolicReference or not r.is_detached)
 
     @classmethod
-    def from_path(cls, repo: 'Repo', path: PathLike) -> Union['Head', 'TagReference', 'Reference']:
+    def from_path(cls: Type[T_References], repo: 'Repo', path: PathLike) -> T_References:
         """
         :param path: full .git-directory-relative path name to the Reference to instantiate
         :note: use to_full_path() if you only have a partial path of a known Reference Type
@@ -698,12 +698,13 @@ def from_path(cls, repo: 'Repo', path: PathLike) -> Union['Head', 'TagReference'
         from . import HEAD, Head, RemoteReference, TagReference, Reference
         for ref_type in (HEAD, Head, RemoteReference, TagReference, Reference, SymbolicReference):
             try:
+                instance: T_References
                 instance = ref_type(repo, path)
                 if instance.__class__ == SymbolicReference and instance.is_detached:
                     raise ValueError("SymbolRef was detached, we drop it")
                 else:
-                    assert isinstance(instance, Reference), "instance should be Reference or subtype"
                     return instance
+
             except ValueError:
                 pass
             # END exception handling
 
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ def stale_refs(self) -> IterableList[Reference]:
             as well. This is a fix for the issue described here:
             https://github.com/gitpython-developers/GitPython/issues/260
             """
-        out_refs: IterableList[RemoteReference] = IterableList(RemoteReference._id_attribute_, "%s/" % self.name)
+        out_refs: IterableList[Reference] = IterableList(RemoteReference._id_attribute_, "%s/" % self.name)
         for line in self.repo.git.remote("prune", "--dry-run", self).splitlines()[2:]:
             # expecting
             # * [would prune] origin/new_branch
@@ -642,7 +642,7 @@ def stale_refs(self) -> IterableList[Reference]:
             ref_name = line.replace(token, "")
             # sometimes, paths start with a full ref name, like refs/tags/foo, see #260
             if ref_name.startswith(Reference._common_path_default + '/'):
-                out_refs.append(SymbolicReference.from_path(self.repo, ref_name))
+                out_refs.append(Reference.from_path(self.repo, ref_name))
             else:
                 fqhn = "%s/%s" % (RemoteReference._common_path_default, ref_name)
                 out_refs.append(RemoteReference(self.repo, fqhn))