diff --git a/spec/base.js b/spec/base.js
index 86dc94d1..11e15a11 100644
--- a/spec/base.js
+++ b/spec/base.js
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ var expectTreeAsync = function(command, expectedJSON) {
   });
   waitsFor(function() {
     var diff = (Date.now() - start);
-    if (diff > TIME - 50 && !haveReported) {
+    if (diff > TIME - 20 && !haveReported) {
       haveReported = true;
       console.log('not going to match', command);
       console.log('expected\n>>>>>>>>\n', loadTree(expectedJSON));
diff --git a/spec/create.js b/spec/create.js
index f934d743..827af467 100644
--- a/spec/create.js
+++ b/spec/create.js
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ prompt.get(['command'], function(err, result) {
   var headless = new HeadlessGit();
   headless.sendCommand(result.command);
   setTimeout(function() {
-    console.log(headless.gitEngine.printTree());
+    console.log('expectTreeAsync(');
+    console.log("  \t'" + result.command + "',");
+    console.log("  \t'" + headless.gitEngine.printTree() + "'");
+    console.log(');');
   }, 100);
 });
 
diff --git a/spec/remote.spec.js b/spec/remote.spec.js
index a68f71c0..b4e01ac0 100644
--- a/spec/remote.spec.js
+++ b/spec/remote.spec.js
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ describe('Git Remotes', function() {
 
   it('pushes to another remote', function() {
     expectTreeAsync(
-      'git branch side; git clone;git commit; git push origin side',
+      'git branch side; git clone;git commit; git push origin HEAD:side',
       '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/master"},"side":{"target":"C1","id":"side","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/side"},"o/master":{"target":"C1","id":"o/master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null,"localBranchesThatTrackThis":["master"]},"o/side":{"target":"C2","id":"o/side","remoteTrackingBranchID":null,"localBranchesThatTrackThis":["side"]}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null},"side":{"target":"C2","id":"side","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"}}}'
     );
   });
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ describe('Git Remotes', function() {
   it('pushes to tracking remote', function() {
     expectTreeAsync(
       'git branch side; git clone;git commit;git push; go side; git commit; git push',
-      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/master"},"side":{"target":"C3","id":"side","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/side"},"o/master":{"target":"C2","id":"o/master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null,"localBranchesThatTrackThis":["master"]},"o/side":{"target":"C3","id":"o/side","remoteTrackingBranchID":null,"localBranchesThatTrackThis":["side"]}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"},"C3":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C3"}},"HEAD":{"target":"side","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null},"side":{"target":"C3","id":"side","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"},"C3":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C3"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"}}}'
+      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/master"},"side":{"target":"C3","id":"side","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/side"},"o/master":{"target":"C2","id":"o/master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null},"o/side":{"target":"C3","id":"o/side","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"},"C3":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C3"}},"HEAD":{"target":"side","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null},"side":{"target":"C3","id":"side","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"},"C3":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C3"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"}}}'
     );
   });
   
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ describe('Git Remotes', function() {
 
   it('pushes new branch onto server', function() {
     expectTreeAsync(
-      'git clone; git commit; git push origin foo',
+      'git clone; git commit; git push origin master:foo',
       '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/master"},"o/master":{"target":"C1","id":"o/master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null},"o/foo":{"target":"C2","id":"o/foo","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null},"foo":{"target":"C2","id":"foo","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"}}}'
     );
   });
@@ -184,5 +184,26 @@ describe('Git Remotes', function() {
     );
   });
 
+  it('will not push to a remote if the local ref does not exist', function() {
+    expectTreeAsync(
+      'git clone; git push origin 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":"C1","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"}}}'
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('will push to the remote branch IF IT has tracking', function() {
+    expectTreeAsync(
+      'git clone; git checkout -b foo o/master; git commit; git push',
+      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/master"},"o/master":{"target":"C2","id":"o/master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null},"foo":{"target":"C2","id":"foo","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/master"}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"HEAD":{"target":"foo","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('will push to a new remote branch if no tracking is set up', function() {
+    expectTreeAsync(
+      'git clone; git checkout -b foo; git commit; git push',
+      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/master"},"o/master":{"target":"C1","id":"o/master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null},"foo":{"target":"C2","id":"foo","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/foo"},"o/foo":{"target":"C2","id":"o/foo","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"HEAD":{"target":"foo","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null},"foo":{"target":"C2","id":"foo","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 ba95abe7..9be6916c 100644
--- a/src/js/git/commands.js
+++ b/src/js/git/commands.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ var assertIsRef = function(engine, ref) {
   engine.resolveID(ref); // will throw giterror if cant resolve
 };
 
-var validateAndAssertBranchName = function(engine, name) {
+var validateBranchName = function(engine, name) {
   return engine.validateBranchName(name);
 };
 
@@ -576,19 +576,29 @@ var commandConfig = {
         if (isColonRefspec(firstArg)) {
           var refspecParts = firstArg.split(':');
           source = refspecParts[0];
-          destination = validateAndAssertBranchName(engine, refspecParts[1]);
+          destination = validateBranchName(engine, refspecParts[1]);
         } else {
-          // we are using this arg as destination -- source is one before head
-          destination = firstArg;
-          source = engine.getOneBeforeCommit('HEAD').get('id');
+          // we are using this arg as destination AND source. the dest branch
+          // can be created on demand but we at least need this to be a source
+          // locally otherwise we will fail
+          source = destination = firstArg;
         }
       } else {
         // since they have not specified a source or destination, then
-        // we source from the branch we are on (or HEAD) and push to
-        // the branch we are on
-        source = engine.getOneBeforeCommit('HEAD').get('id');
-        destination = source;
-        assertBranchIsRemoteTracking(engine, source);
+        // we source from the branch we are on (or HEAD)
+        var sourceObj = engine.getOneBeforeCommit('HEAD');
+        source = sourceObj.get('id');
+
+        // HOWEVER we push to either the remote tracking branch we have
+        // OR a new named branch if we aren't tracking anything
+        if (sourceObj.getRemoteTrackingBranchID &&
+            sourceObj.getRemoteTrackingBranchID()) {
+          assertBranchIsRemoteTracking(engine, source);
+          var remoteBranch = sourceObj.getRemoteTrackingBranchID();
+          destination = engine.refs[remoteBranch].getBaseID();
+        } else {
+          destination = validateBranchName(engine, source);
+        }
       }
       if (source) {
         assertIsRef(engine, source);