diff --git a/builtin-send-pack.c b/builtin-send-pack.c
index ed94f9a460..e428eace2b 100644
--- a/builtin-send-pack.c
+++ b/builtin-send-pack.c
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ static void update_tracking_ref(struct remote *remote, struct ref *ref)
 {
 	struct refspec rs;
 
-	if (ref->status != REF_STATUS_OK)
+	if (ref->status != REF_STATUS_OK && ref->status != REF_STATUS_UPTODATE)
 		return;
 
 	rs.src = ref->name;
@@ -424,24 +424,19 @@ static int do_send_pack(int in, int out, struct remote *remote, const char *dest
 	 */
 	new_refs = 0;
 	for (ref = remote_refs; ref; ref = ref->next) {
-		const unsigned char *new_sha1;
 
-		if (!ref->peer_ref) {
-			if (!args.send_mirror)
-				continue;
-			new_sha1 = null_sha1;
-		}
-		else
-			new_sha1 = ref->peer_ref->new_sha1;
+		if (ref->peer_ref)
+			hashcpy(ref->new_sha1, ref->peer_ref->new_sha1);
+		else if (!args.send_mirror)
+			continue;
 
-
-		ref->deletion = is_null_sha1(new_sha1);
+		ref->deletion = is_null_sha1(ref->new_sha1);
 		if (ref->deletion && !allow_deleting_refs) {
 			ref->status = REF_STATUS_REJECT_NODELETE;
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!ref->deletion &&
-		    !hashcmp(ref->old_sha1, new_sha1)) {
+		    !hashcmp(ref->old_sha1, ref->new_sha1)) {
 			ref->status = REF_STATUS_UPTODATE;
 			continue;
 		}
@@ -469,14 +464,13 @@ static int do_send_pack(int in, int out, struct remote *remote, const char *dest
 		    !ref->deletion &&
 		    !is_null_sha1(ref->old_sha1) &&
 		    (!has_sha1_file(ref->old_sha1)
-		      || !ref_newer(new_sha1, ref->old_sha1));
+		      || !ref_newer(ref->new_sha1, ref->old_sha1));
 
 		if (ref->nonfastforward && !ref->force && !args.force_update) {
 			ref->status = REF_STATUS_REJECT_NONFASTFORWARD;
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		hashcpy(ref->new_sha1, new_sha1);
 		if (!ref->deletion)
 			new_refs++;
 
diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 48271a99ab..293389e764 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -789,10 +789,10 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_sha1_basic(const char *ref, const unsigned char
 	char *ref_file;
 	const char *orig_ref = ref;
 	struct ref_lock *lock;
-	struct stat st;
 	int last_errno = 0;
 	int type, lflags;
 	int mustexist = (old_sha1 && !is_null_sha1(old_sha1));
+	int missing = 0;
 
 	lock = xcalloc(1, sizeof(struct ref_lock));
 	lock->lock_fd = -1;
@@ -820,12 +820,13 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_sha1_basic(const char *ref, const unsigned char
 			orig_ref, strerror(errno));
 		goto error_return;
 	}
+	missing = is_null_sha1(lock->old_sha1);
 	/* When the ref did not exist and we are creating it,
 	 * make sure there is no existing ref that is packed
 	 * whose name begins with our refname, nor a ref whose
 	 * name is a proper prefix of our refname.
 	 */
-	if (is_null_sha1(lock->old_sha1) &&
+	if (missing &&
             !is_refname_available(ref, NULL, get_packed_refs(), 0))
 		goto error_return;
 
@@ -839,7 +840,7 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_sha1_basic(const char *ref, const unsigned char
 	lock->ref_name = xstrdup(ref);
 	lock->orig_ref_name = xstrdup(orig_ref);
 	ref_file = git_path("%s", ref);
-	if (lstat(ref_file, &st) && errno == ENOENT)
+	if (missing)
 		lock->force_write = 1;
 	if ((flags & REF_NODEREF) && (type & REF_ISSYMREF))
 		lock->force_write = 1;
diff --git a/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh b/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
index 087ef75061..413019acaf 100755
--- a/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
+++ b/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
@@ -96,6 +96,13 @@ test_expect_success \
      git branch -d n/o/p &&
      git branch n'
 
+test_expect_success \
+	'see if up-to-date packed refs are preserved' \
+	'git branch q &&
+	 git pack-refs --all --prune &&
+	 git update-ref refs/heads/q refs/heads/q &&
+	 ! test -f .git/refs/heads/q'
+
 test_expect_success 'pack, prune and repack' '
 	git tag foo &&
 	git pack-refs --all --prune &&
diff --git a/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh b/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh
index f0030ad00e..598664ce7f 100755
--- a/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh
+++ b/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh
@@ -437,6 +437,37 @@ test_expect_success 'push updates local refs' '
 
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'push updates up-to-date local refs' '
+
+	rm -rf parent child &&
+	mkdir parent &&
+	(cd parent && git init &&
+		echo one >foo && git add foo && git commit -m one) &&
+	git clone parent child1 &&
+	git clone parent child2 &&
+	(cd child1 &&
+		echo two >foo && git commit -a -m two &&
+		git push) &&
+	(cd child2 &&
+		git pull ../child1 master &&
+		git push &&
+	test $(git rev-parse master) = $(git rev-parse remotes/origin/master))
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'push preserves up-to-date packed refs' '
+
+	rm -rf parent child &&
+	mkdir parent &&
+	(cd parent && git init &&
+		echo one >foo && git add foo && git commit -m one) &&
+	git clone parent child &&
+	(cd child &&
+		git push &&
+	! test -f .git/refs/remotes/origin/master)
+
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'push does not update local refs on failure' '
 
 	rm -rf parent child &&