diff --git a/src/js/git/index.js b/src/js/git/index.js
index 84d553af..49257df7 100644
--- a/src/js/git/index.js
+++ b/src/js/git/index.js
@@ -1142,11 +1142,9 @@ GitEngine.prototype.fakeTeamworkStarter = function() {
   }
 
   this.validateArgBounds(this.generalArgs, 0, 2);
-  // ugly command line arg parsing
-  var branch = this.generalArgs[0] || 'master';
-  if (!this.origin.refs[branch]) {
-    branch = 'master';
-  }
+  // allow formats of: git Faketeamwork 2 or git Faketeamwork side 3
+  var branch = (this.origin.refs[this.generalArgs[0]]) ?
+    this.generalArgs[0] || 'master';
   var numToMake = parseInt(this.generalArgs[0], 10) || this.generalArgs[1] || 1;
 
   // make sure its a branch and exists