[PATCH v3 1/2] push: check pushed ref for --force-if-includes

From: Tyler Cipriani <tyler@tylercipriani.com>
Date: Sep 10, 2026, 23:05 UTC
Message-ID: <20260910230506.1631656-2-tyler@tylercipriani.com>
In-Reply-To: <20260910230506.1631656-1-tyler@tylercipriani.com>

"--force-if-includes" ensures, "tip of the remote-tracking ref is reachable from one of the 'reflog' entries of the local branch."

But check_if_includes_upstream() uses the local per-branch reflog based on the destination branch rather than the branch being pushed; using ref->name vs. ref->peer_ref->name.

This can cause confusing rejections or unintended data loss.

Using a command like:

    git push --force-if-includes --force-with-lease origin src:main

False rejections: when src is an up-to-date branch, but main is out-of-date or nonexistent, then the includes check will fail telling users the remote ref has been updated since the last checkout.

Data loss: when src is an orphan/out-dated branch, but main is up-to-date, then the if-includes check will allow the push, clobbering the remote main.

Find local reflog using ref->peer_ref. When using a refspec like HEAD:refs/heads/main, we resolve HEAD. If HEAD is a branch, use that branch's reflog.

But if HEAD does not resolve to a branch (i.e. a detached HEAD), then we reject the push. HEAD's reflog is too broad to tell us if the history being pushed includes the tip of the remote. Rejecting a detached HEAD already happens today (if the same-named local branch lacks the remote tip); now the detached HEAD state is explicitly rejected.

Skip deletions:

    git push --force-if-includes --force-with-lease origin :main

ref->deletion is set after apply_push_cas (which triggers check_if_includes_upstream). The ref->peer_ref name is "(delete)". Instead check with is_null_oid to detect and allow deletion.

Reported-by: Stefan Haller <lists@haller-berlin.de>
Reported-by: D. Ben Knoble <ben.knoble@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Tyler Cipriani <tyler@tylercipriani.com>
---
 remote.c            | 24 ++++++++++++++++-
 t/t5533-push-cas.sh | 65 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 88 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/remote.c b/remote.c
index 00723b385e..326af76eeb 100644
--- a/remote.c
+++ b/remote.c
@@ -2806,7 +2806,29 @@ static int is_reachable_in_reflog(const char *local, const struct ref *remote)
  */
 static void check_if_includes_upstream(struct ref *remote)
 {
-	struct ref *local = get_local_ref(remote->name);
+	struct ref *local;
+	const char *name;
+	int flag;
+
+	if (!remote->peer_ref)
+		return;
+
+	/* A deletion has no local history to check against. */
+	if (is_null_oid(&remote->peer_ref->new_oid))
+		return;
+
+	name = remote->peer_ref->name;
+	if (!strcmp(name, "HEAD")) {
+		name = refs_resolve_ref_unsafe(get_main_ref_store(the_repository),
+					       "HEAD", 0, NULL, &flag);
+		if (!name || !(flag & REF_ISSYMREF)) {
+			/* detached HEAD: no per-branch reflog to consult */
+			remote->unreachable = 1;
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+
+	local = get_local_ref(name);
 	if (!local)
 		return;
 
diff --git a/t/t5533-push-cas.sh b/t/t5533-push-cas.sh
index cba26a872d..0c02151747 100755
--- a/t/t5533-push-cas.sh
+++ b/t/t5533-push-cas.sh
@@ -396,4 +396,69 @@ test_expect_success '"--force-if-includes" should allow deletes' '
 	)
 '
 
+test_expect_success '"--force-if-includes" should allow forced update when using differently named branches' '
+	setup_src_dup_dst &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr dst src dup" &&
+	(
+		cd src &&
+		git fetch &&
+		git switch -c newbranch origin/main &&
+		git rebase HEAD --onto HEAD^ &&
+		git push --force-if-includes --force-with-lease origin newbranch:main
+	)
+'
+test_expect_success '"--force-if-includes" should allow forced update from HEAD' '
+	setup_src_dup_dst &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr dst src dup" &&
+	(
+		cd src &&
+		git fetch &&
+		git switch -c newbranch origin/main &&
+		git rebase HEAD --onto HEAD^ &&
+		git push --force-if-includes --force-with-lease origin HEAD:main
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success '"--force-if-includes" should reject forced update from differently named branches when local lacks remote ref' '
+	setup_src_dup_dst &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr dst src dup" &&
+	(
+		cd src &&
+		git fetch &&
+		git switch main &&
+		git reset --hard origin/main &&
+		git switch --orphan orphan &&
+		test_commit I &&
+		test_must_fail git push --force-with-lease --force-if-includes origin orphan:main
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success '"--force-if-includes" should reject forced update from HEAD when it lacks remote ref' '
+	setup_src_dup_dst &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr dst src dup" &&
+	(
+		cd src &&
+		git fetch &&
+		git switch main &&
+		git reset --hard origin/main &&
+		git switch --orphan orphan &&
+		test_commit I &&
+		test_must_fail git push --force-with-lease --force-if-includes origin HEAD:main
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success '"--force-if-includes" should reject forced update from detached HEAD' '
+	setup_src_dup_dst &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr dst src dup" &&
+	(
+		cd src &&
+		git fetch &&
+		git switch main &&
+		git reset --hard origin/main &&
+		git switch -c newbranch origin/main &&
+		git checkout HEAD^ &&
+		test_must_fail git push --force-if-includes --force-with-lease origin HEAD:main
+	)
+'
+
 test_done

-- 
2.47.3