diff --git a/spec/remote.spec.js b/spec/remote.spec.js
index f1819e77..35eac439 100644
--- a/spec/remote.spec.js
+++ b/spec/remote.spec.js
@@ -213,12 +213,18 @@ describe('Git Remotes', function() {
   });
 
   it('will not fetch if ref does not exist on remote', function() {
-expectTreeAsync(
-    'git clone; git fakeTeamwork; git fetch foo:master',
-        '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/master"},"o/master":{"target":"C1","id":"o/master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"}}}'
-        );
+    expectTreeAsync(
+      'git clone; git fakeTeamwork; git fetch foo:master',
+      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/master"},"o/master":{"target":"C1","id":"o/master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"}}}'
+    );
   });
 
+  it('does not fetch if ref does not exist on remote with one arg', function() {
+    expectTreeAsync(
+      'git clone; git fakeTeamwork; git fetch foo',
+      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/master"},"o/master":{"target":"C1","id":"o/master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"}}}'
+    );
+  });
 
 });
 
diff --git a/src/js/git/commands.js b/src/js/git/commands.js
index 9212fb64..36f1efa1 100644
--- a/src/js/git/commands.js
+++ b/src/js/git/commands.js
@@ -253,14 +253,14 @@ var commandConfig = {
   fetch: {
     regex: /^git +fetch($|\s)/,
     execute: function(engine, command) {
-      var options = {};
-
       if (!engine.hasOrigin()) {
         throw new GitError({
           msg: intl.str('git-error-origin-required')
         });
       }
 
+      var source;
+      var destination;
       var generalArgs = command.getGeneralArgs();
       command.twoArgsImpliedOrigin(generalArgs);
       assertOriginSpecified(generalArgs);
@@ -268,21 +268,28 @@ var commandConfig = {
       var firstArg = generalArgs[1];
       if (firstArg && isColonRefspec(firstArg)) {
         var refspecParts = firstArg.split(':');
-        options.source = refspecParts[0];
-        options.destination = refspecParts[1];
+        source = refspecParts[0];
+        destination = validateBranchName(engine, refspecParts[1]);
 
         // destination will be created by fetch, but check source
-        assertIsRef(engine.origin, options.source);
       } else if (firstArg) {
         // here is the deal -- its JUST like git push. the first arg
         // is used as both the destination and the source, so we need
         // to make sure it exists as the source on REMOTE and then
         // the destination will be created locally
-        var tracking = assertBranchIsRemoteTracking(engine, firstArg);
-        options.branches = [engine.refs[tracking]];
+        source = firstArg;
+        destination = firstArg;
+        //var tracking = assertBranchIsRemoteTracking(engine, firstArg);
+        //options.branches = [engine.refs[tracking]];
+      }
+      if (source) { // empty string fails this check
+        assertIsRef(engine.origin, source);
       }
 
-      engine.fetch(options);
+      engine.fetch({
+        source: source,
+        destination: destination
+      });
     }
   },
 
diff --git a/src/js/git/index.js b/src/js/git/index.js
index 6c31f130..3874eac6 100644
--- a/src/js/git/index.js
+++ b/src/js/git/index.js
@@ -357,13 +357,9 @@ GitEngine.prototype.makeOrigin = function(treeString) {
       return;
     }
 
-    var originTarget = branchJSON.target;
-    // now this is tricky -- our remote could have commits that we do
-    // not have. so lets go upwards until we find one that we have
-    while (!this.refs[originTarget]) {
-      var parents = originTree.commits[originTarget].parents;
-      originTarget = parents[0];
-    }
+    var originTarget = this.findCommonAncestorWithRemote(
+      branchJSON.target
+    );
 
     // now we have something in common, lets make the tracking branch
     var remoteBranch = this.makeBranch(
@@ -375,6 +371,27 @@ GitEngine.prototype.makeOrigin = function(treeString) {
   }, this);
 };
 
+GitEngine.prototype.makeRemoteBranchForRemote = function(branchName) {
+  var target = this.origin.refs[branchName].get('target');
+  var originTarget = this.findCommonAncestorWithRemote(
+    target.get('id');
+  );
+  return this.makeBranch(
+    ORIGIN_PREFIX + branchName,
+    this.getCommitFromRef(originTarget)
+  );
+};
+
+GitEngine.prototype.findCommonAncestorWithRemote = function(originTarget) {
+  // now this is tricky -- our remote could have commits that we do
+  // not have. so lets go upwards until we find one that we have
+  while (!this.refs[originTarget]) {
+    var parents = this.origin.refs[originTarget].get('parents');
+    originTarget = parents[0].get('id');
+  }
+  return originTarget;
+};
+
 GitEngine.prototype.makeBranchOnOriginAndTrack = function(branchName, target) {
   var remoteBranch = this.makeBranch(
     ORIGIN_PREFIX + branchName,
@@ -1018,11 +1035,30 @@ GitEngine.prototype.pushDeleteRemoteBranch = function(
 GitEngine.prototype.fetch = function(options) {
   options = options || {};
 
-  // get all remotes
-  var allRemotes = this.branchCollection.filter(function(branch) {
-    return branch.getIsRemote();
-  });
-  var branchesToFetch = options.branches || allRemotes;
+  // ok this is just like git push -- if the destination does not exist,
+  // we need to make it
+  if (options.destination) {
+    // its just like creating a branch, we will merge (if pulling) later
+    this.validateAndMakeBranch(
+      options.destination,
+      this.getCommitFromRef('HEAD')
+    );
+  }
+
+  // now we need to know which remotes to fetch. lets do this by either checking our source
+  // option or just getting all of them
+  var branchesToFetch;
+  if (options.source) {
+    // gah -- first we have to check that we even have a remote branch
+    // for this source (we know its on the remote based on validation)
+    if (!this.refs[ORIGIN_PREFX + options.source]) {
+      this.makeRemoteBranchForRemote(options.source);
+    }
+  } else {
+    branchesToFetch = this.branchCollection.filter(function(branch) {
+      return branch.getIsRemote();
+    });
+  }
 
   // first check if our local remote branch is upstream of the origin branch set.
   // this check essentially pretends the local remote branch is in origin and