diff --git a/builtin-remote.c b/builtin-remote.c
index 24e692953b..9c15173032 100644
--- a/builtin-remote.c
+++ b/builtin-remote.c
@@ -207,7 +207,10 @@ static int handle_one_branch(const char *refname,
 	if (!remote_find_tracking(states->remote, &refspec)) {
 		struct path_list_item *item;
 		const char *name = skip_prefix(refspec.src, "refs/heads/");
-		if (unsorted_path_list_has_path(&states->tracked, name) ||
+		/* symbolic refs pointing nowhere were handled already */
+		if ((flags & REF_ISSYMREF) ||
+				unsorted_path_list_has_path(&states->tracked,
+					name) ||
 				unsorted_path_list_has_path(&states->new,
 					name))
 			return 0;
diff --git a/t/t5505-remote.sh b/t/t5505-remote.sh
index ecfc999aaa..004a8dc5ed 100755
--- a/t/t5505-remote.sh
+++ b/t/t5505-remote.sh
@@ -237,4 +237,14 @@ test_expect_success 'update default (overridden, with funny whitespace)' '
 
 '
 
+test_expect_success '"remote show" does not show symbolic refs' '
+
+	git clone one three &&
+	(cd three &&
+	 git remote show origin > output &&
+	 ! grep HEAD < output &&
+	 ! grep -i stale < output)
+
+'
+
 test_done