diff --git a/spec/remote.spec.js b/spec/remote.spec.js
index e614e16a..718292e8 100644
--- a/spec/remote.spec.js
+++ b/spec/remote.spec.js
@@ -353,5 +353,19 @@ describe('Git Remotes', function() {
 		);
 	});
 
+	it('creates the branch on the fly', function() {
+		expectTreeAsync(
+			'git clone; git commit; go -b side; git push origin side',
+			'{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","id":"master","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/master"},"o/master":{"target":"C1","id":"o/master","remoteTrackingBranchID":null},"side":{"target":"C2","id":"side","remoteTrackingBranchID":"o/side"},"o/side":{"target":"C2","id":"o/side","remoteTrackingBranchID":null}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"tags":{},"HEAD":{"target":"side","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"}},"tags":{},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"}}}'
+		);
+	});
+
+	it('does not create the o/master branch on remote', function() {
+		expectTreeAsync(
+			'git clone; git commit; git push origin o/master',
+			'{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","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"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"tags":{},"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"}},"tags":{},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"}}}'
+		);
+	});
+
 });
 
diff --git a/src/js/git/commands.js b/src/js/git/commands.js
index 77ef2b01..8d86c40d 100644
--- a/src/js/git/commands.js
+++ b/src/js/git/commands.js
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ var assertNotCheckedOut = function(engine, ref) {
 
 var assertIsBranch = function(engine, ref) {
   assertIsRef(engine, ref);
-  var obj = engine.refs[ref];
+  var obj = engine.resolveID(ref);
   if (!obj || obj.get('type') !== 'branch') {
     throw new GitError({
       msg: intl.todo(
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ var assertIsBranch = function(engine, ref) {
 
 var assertIsRemoteBranch = function(engine, ref) {
   assertIsRef(engine, ref);
-  var obj = engine.refs[ref];
+  var obj = engine.resolveID(ref);
 
   if (obj.get('type') !== 'branch' ||
       !obj.getIsRemote()) {
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ var assertOriginSpecified = function(generalArgs) {
 
 var assertBranchIsRemoteTracking = function(engine, branchName) {
   branchName = crappyUnescape(branchName);
-  if (!engine.refs[branchName]) {
+  if (!engine.resolveID(branchName)) {
     throw new GitError({
       msg: intl.todo(branchName + ' is not a branch!')
     });
@@ -697,7 +697,7 @@ var commandConfig = {
           // can be created on demand but we at least need this to be a source
           // locally otherwise we will fail
           assertIsRef(engine, firstArg);
-          sourceObj = engine.refs[firstArg];
+          sourceObj = engine.resolveID(firstArg);
         } else {
           // since they have not specified a source or destination, then
           // we source from the branch we are on (or HEAD)