diff --git a/Documentation/git-maintenance.txt b/Documentation/git-maintenance.txt
index 80ddd33ceb..1e738ad398 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-maintenance.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-maintenance.txt
@@ -92,10 +92,8 @@ commit-graph::
 prefetch::
 	The `prefetch` task updates the object directory with the latest
 	objects from all registered remotes. For each remote, a `git fetch`
-	command is run. The refmap is custom to avoid updating local or remote
-	branches (those in `refs/heads` or `refs/remotes`). Instead, the
-	remote refs are stored in `refs/prefetch/<remote>/`. Also, tags are
-	not updated.
+	command is run. The configured refspec is modified to place all
+	requested refs within `refs/prefetch/`. Also, tags are not updated.
 +
 This is done to avoid disrupting the remote-tracking branches. The end users
 expect these refs to stay unmoved unless they initiate a fetch.  With prefetch
diff --git a/builtin/gc.c b/builtin/gc.c
index fa8128de9a..9d35f7da50 100644
--- a/builtin/gc.c
+++ b/builtin/gc.c
@@ -879,15 +879,14 @@ static int fetch_remote(struct remote *remote, void *cbdata)
 	struct child_process child = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
 
 	child.git_cmd = 1;
-	strvec_pushl(&child.args, "fetch", remote->name, "--prune", "--no-tags",
+	strvec_pushl(&child.args, "fetch", remote->name,
+		     "--prefetch", "--prune", "--no-tags",
 		     "--no-write-fetch-head", "--recurse-submodules=no",
-		     "--refmap=", NULL);
+		     NULL);
 
 	if (opts->quiet)
 		strvec_push(&child.args, "--quiet");
 
-	strvec_pushf(&child.args, "+refs/heads/*:refs/prefetch/%s/*", remote->name);
-
 	return !!run_command(&child);
 }
 
diff --git a/t/t7900-maintenance.sh b/t/t7900-maintenance.sh
index 2412d8c5c0..eadb800c08 100755
--- a/t/t7900-maintenance.sh
+++ b/t/t7900-maintenance.sh
@@ -141,15 +141,15 @@ test_expect_success 'prefetch multiple remotes' '
 	test_commit -C clone1 one &&
 	test_commit -C clone2 two &&
 	GIT_TRACE2_EVENT="$(pwd)/run-prefetch.txt" git maintenance run --task=prefetch 2>/dev/null &&
-	fetchargs="--prune --no-tags --no-write-fetch-head --recurse-submodules=no --refmap= --quiet" &&
-	test_subcommand git fetch remote1 $fetchargs +refs/heads/\\*:refs/prefetch/remote1/\\* <run-prefetch.txt &&
-	test_subcommand git fetch remote2 $fetchargs +refs/heads/\\*:refs/prefetch/remote2/\\* <run-prefetch.txt &&
+	fetchargs="--prefetch --prune --no-tags --no-write-fetch-head --recurse-submodules=no --quiet" &&
+	test_subcommand git fetch remote1 $fetchargs <run-prefetch.txt &&
+	test_subcommand git fetch remote2 $fetchargs <run-prefetch.txt &&
 	test_path_is_missing .git/refs/remotes &&
-	git log prefetch/remote1/one &&
-	git log prefetch/remote2/two &&
+	git log prefetch/remotes/remote1/one &&
+	git log prefetch/remotes/remote2/two &&
 	git fetch --all &&
-	test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/remote1/one refs/prefetch/remote1/one &&
-	test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/remote2/two refs/prefetch/remote2/two &&
+	test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/remote1/one refs/prefetch/remotes/remote1/one &&
+	test_cmp_rev refs/remotes/remote2/two refs/prefetch/remotes/remote2/two &&
 
 	test_cmp_config refs/prefetch/ log.excludedecoration &&
 	git log --oneline --decorate --all >log &&