diff --git a/branch.c b/branch.c
index b1e59f2196b..6a750574fd3 100644
--- a/branch.c
+++ b/branch.c
@@ -129,7 +129,9 @@ void create_branch(const char *head,
 			die("Cannot setup tracking information; starting point is not a branch.");
 		break;
 	case 1:
-		/* Unique completion -- good */
+		/* Unique completion -- good, only if it is a real ref */
+		if (track == BRANCH_TRACK_EXPLICIT && !strcmp(real_ref, "HEAD"))
+			die("Cannot setup tracking information; starting point is not a branch.");
 		break;
 	default:
 		die("Ambiguous object name: '%s'.", start_name);
diff --git a/t/t7201-co.sh b/t/t7201-co.sh
index fbec70d3c6a..ee2cab6bb21 100755
--- a/t/t7201-co.sh
+++ b/t/t7201-co.sh
@@ -330,12 +330,14 @@ test_expect_success \
     test "$(git config branch.track2.merge)"
     git config branch.autosetupmerge false'
 
-test_expect_success \
-    'checkout w/--track from non-branch HEAD fails' '
-    git checkout -b delete-me master &&
-    rm .git/refs/heads/delete-me &&
-    test refs/heads/delete-me = "$(git symbolic-ref HEAD)" &&
-    test_must_fail git checkout --track -b track'
+test_expect_success 'checkout w/--track from non-branch HEAD fails' '
+    git checkout master^0 &&
+    test_must_fail git symbolic-ref HEAD &&
+    test_must_fail git checkout --track -b track &&
+    test_must_fail git rev-parse --verify track &&
+    test_must_fail git symbolic-ref HEAD &&
+    test "z$(git rev-parse master^0)" = "z$(git rev-parse HEAD)"
+'
 
 test_expect_success 'checkout an unmerged path should fail' '
 	rm -f .git/index &&