# Git push tries to delete branch twice and fails 4 messages from 2025-06-06 to 2025-06-06. Participants: Ondra Medek, Kristoffer Haugsbakk. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/63593 ## Ondra Medek, 2025-06-06 11:20 Subject: Git push tries to delete branch twice and fails Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/CAJsoDaFKRz8om1d4YPtaqdyuBuPAiC-xHDuvmYW%3DVQWEzzXAtg%40mail.gmail.com ``` I have a git 2.49.0 (Windows) and one local working tree is kind of broken, when I try: $ git push origin branch1 Total 0 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0), pack-reused 0 (from 0) To file:///c:/... * [new branch] branch1 -> branch1 Everything up-to-date $ git push origin :branch1 To file:///c:/... - [deleted] branch1 error: unable to delete 'branch1': remote ref does not exist error: failed to push some refs to 'file:///c:/...' So, the same `git push` command first deletes the branch and then fails because it does not exist. It worked well until something happened and since that time it's broken. I've tried `git gc --aggressive --prune`, but it didn't help. When I do `git clone` of the same repository to another local working tree, then it's OK - the branch is deleted without the error. Is this a Git bug? Is it possible to fix the local working tree except for a new git clone? Note: I am developing an app which uses (creates and deletes) custom refs often. So, I've hit this bug when trying to delete a custom ref. I have cleared all custom refs and tried that with Git branches. Cheers Andy ``` ## Kristoffer Haugsbakk, 2025-06-06 11:41 Subject: Re: Git push tries to delete branch twice and fails Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/ad141d46-3170-47d0-860d-46e7b92f878d%40app.fastmail.com In-Reply-To: ``` On Fri, Jun 6, 2025, at 13:20, Ondra Medek wrote: > I have a git 2.49.0 (Windows) and one local working tree is kind of > broken, when I try: > > $ git push origin branch1 > Total 0 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0), pack-reused 0 (from 0) > To file:///c:/... > * [new branch] branch1 -> branch1 > Everything up-to-date > > $ git push origin :branch1 > To file:///c:/... > - [deleted] branch1 > error: unable to delete 'branch1': remote ref does not exist > error: failed to push some refs to 'file:///c:/...' I was note able to reproduce on Git 2.49.0 on Linux. Both through a HTTPS remote as well as a local (filesystem) remote. ˋˋˋ $ ./git diagnose Collecting diagnostic info git version 2.49.0 cpu: x86_64 built from commit: 683c54c999c301c2cd6f715c411407c413b1d84e sizeof-long: 8 sizeof-size_t: 8 shell-path: /bin/sh libcurl: 7.81.0 OpenSSL: OpenSSL 3.0.2 15 Mar 2022 zlib: 1.2.11 Repository root: Available space on '': 202.28 GiB (mount flags 0x1000) ˋˋˋ > So, the same `git push` command first deletes the branch and then > fails because it does not exist. It worked well until something > happened and since that time it's broken. I've tried `git gc > --aggressive --prune`, but it didn't help. > > When I do `git clone` of the same repository to another local working > tree, then it's OK - the branch is deleted without the error. > > Is this a Git bug? Is it possible to fix the local working tree except > for a new git clone? > > Note: I am developing an app which uses (creates and deletes) custom > refs often. So, I've hit this bug when trying to delete a custom ref. > I have cleared all custom refs and tried that with Git branches. > > Cheers > Andy ``` ## Ondra Medek, 2025-06-06 11:50 Subject: Re: Git push tries to delete branch twice and fails Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/CAJsoDaGjF%3D2ZGwGdnx%2BM-1MdtfDWS2uE8%2BEAZMuu73cXjhWb7Q%40mail.gmail.com In-Reply-To: ``` Yes, I have witten it's just in one local working tree. When I do `git clone` of the same repository then it's OK. So I do not know how to simulate it. Therefore, the workaround is simple - I may just delete the local dir and clone the repo again. But I would like just to know what happened and if it's possible to fix it without cloning if the same issue hit some of our customers. --- Andy On Fri, 6 Jun 2025 at 13:43, Kristoffer Haugsbakk wrote: > > On Fri, Jun 6, 2025, at 13:20, Ondra Medek wrote: > > I have a git 2.49.0 (Windows) and one local working tree is kind of > > broken, when I try: > > > > $ git push origin branch1 > > Total 0 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0), pack-reused 0 (from 0) > > To file:///c:/... > > * [new branch] branch1 -> branch1 > > Everything up-to-date > > > > $ git push origin :branch1 > > To file:///c:/... > > - [deleted] branch1 > > error: unable to delete 'branch1': remote ref does not exist > > error: failed to push some refs to 'file:///c:/...' > > I was note able to reproduce on Git 2.49.0 on Linux. Both through a > HTTPS remote as well as a local (filesystem) remote. > > ˋˋˋ > $ ./git diagnose > Collecting diagnostic info > > git version 2.49.0 > cpu: x86_64 > built from commit: 683c54c999c301c2cd6f715c411407c413b1d84e > sizeof-long: 8 > sizeof-size_t: 8 > shell-path: /bin/sh > libcurl: 7.81.0 > OpenSSL: OpenSSL 3.0.2 15 Mar 2022 > zlib: 1.2.11 > Repository root: > Available space on '': 202.28 GiB (mount flags 0x1000) > ˋˋˋ > > > So, the same `git push` command first deletes the branch and then > > fails because it does not exist. It worked well until something > > happened and since that time it's broken. I've tried `git gc > > --aggressive --prune`, but it didn't help. > > > > When I do `git clone` of the same repository to another local working > > tree, then it's OK - the branch is deleted without the error. > > > > Is this a Git bug? Is it possible to fix the local working tree except > > for a new git clone? > > > > Note: I am developing an app which uses (creates and deletes) custom > > refs often. So, I've hit this bug when trying to delete a custom ref. > > I have cleared all custom refs and tried that with Git branches. > > > > Cheers > > Andy ``` ## Ondra Medek, 2025-06-06 11:57 Subject: Re: Git push tries to delete branch twice and fails Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/CAJsoDaHQnwJTnWDT3eeTsH-nC9Tbt019T4W0pocqBSH80_FYqg%40mail.gmail.com In-Reply-To: ``` Ah, got it, I have in .git/config the same path twice (I did it unintentionally by manual edit): [remote "origin"] url = file:///c:/... url = file:///c:/... fetch = +refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/* Sorry for bothering you Andy On Fri, 6 Jun 2025 at 13:50, Ondra Medek wrote: > > Yes, I have witten it's just in one local working tree. When I do `git > clone` of the same repository then it's OK. So I do not know how to > simulate it. > > Therefore, the workaround is simple - I may just delete the local dir > and clone the repo again. But I would like just to know what happened > and if it's possible to fix it without cloning if the same issue hit > some of our customers. > --- > Andy > > On Fri, 6 Jun 2025 at 13:43, Kristoffer Haugsbakk > wrote: > > > > On Fri, Jun 6, 2025, at 13:20, Ondra Medek wrote: > > > I have a git 2.49.0 (Windows) and one local working tree is kind of > > > broken, when I try: > > > > > > $ git push origin branch1 > > > Total 0 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0), pack-reused 0 (from 0) > > > To file:///c:/... > > > * [new branch] branch1 -> branch1 > > > Everything up-to-date > > > > > > $ git push origin :branch1 > > > To file:///c:/... > > > - [deleted] branch1 > > > error: unable to delete 'branch1': remote ref does not exist > > > error: failed to push some refs to 'file:///c:/...' > > > > I was note able to reproduce on Git 2.49.0 on Linux. Both through a > > HTTPS remote as well as a local (filesystem) remote. > > > > ˋˋˋ > > $ ./git diagnose > > Collecting diagnostic info > > > > git version 2.49.0 > > cpu: x86_64 > > built from commit: 683c54c999c301c2cd6f715c411407c413b1d84e > > sizeof-long: 8 > > sizeof-size_t: 8 > > shell-path: /bin/sh > > libcurl: 7.81.0 > > OpenSSL: OpenSSL 3.0.2 15 Mar 2022 > > zlib: 1.2.11 > > Repository root: > > Available space on '': 202.28 GiB (mount flags 0x1000) > > ˋˋˋ > > > > > So, the same `git push` command first deletes the branch and then > > > fails because it does not exist. It worked well until something > > > happened and since that time it's broken. I've tried `git gc > > > --aggressive --prune`, but it didn't help. > > > > > > When I do `git clone` of the same repository to another local working > > > tree, then it's OK - the branch is deleted without the error. > > > > > > Is this a Git bug? Is it possible to fix the local working tree except > > > for a new git clone? > > > > > > Note: I am developing an app which uses (creates and deletes) custom > > > refs often. So, I've hit this bug when trying to delete a custom ref. > > > I have cleared all custom refs and tried that with Git branches. > > > > > > Cheers > > > Andy ```