diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 84770bf67a..7b5c91c996 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -322,13 +322,17 @@ struct ref {
 	char name[FLEX_ARRAY]; /* more */
 };
 
+#define REF_NORMAL	(1u << 0)
+#define REF_HEADS	(1u << 1)
+#define REF_TAGS	(1u << 2)
+
 extern int git_connect(int fd[2], char *url, const char *prog);
 extern int finish_connect(pid_t pid);
 extern int path_match(const char *path, int nr, char **match);
 extern int match_refs(struct ref *src, struct ref *dst, struct ref ***dst_tail,
 		      int nr_refspec, char **refspec, int all);
 extern int get_ack(int fd, unsigned char *result_sha1);
-extern struct ref **get_remote_heads(int in, struct ref **list, int nr_match, char **match, int ignore_funny);
+extern struct ref **get_remote_heads(int in, struct ref **list, int nr_match, char **match, unsigned int flags);
 extern int server_supports(const char *feature);
 
 extern struct packed_git *parse_pack_index(unsigned char *sha1);
diff --git a/connect.c b/connect.c
index 9a87bd999a..4422a0d8d3 100644
--- a/connect.c
+++ b/connect.c
@@ -12,11 +12,40 @@
 
 static char *server_capabilities = NULL;
 
+static int check_ref(const char *name, int len, unsigned int flags)
+{
+	if (!flags)
+		return 1;
+
+	if (len > 45 || memcmp(name, "refs/", 5))
+		return 0;
+
+	/* Skip the "refs/" part */
+	name += 5;
+	len -= 5;
+
+	/* REF_NORMAL means that we don't want the magic fake tag refs */
+	if ((flags & REF_NORMAL) && check_ref_format(name) < 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	/* REF_HEADS means that we want regular branch heads */
+	if ((flags & REF_HEADS) && !memcmp(name, "heads/", 6))
+		return 1;
+
+	/* REF_TAGS means that we want tags */
+	if ((flags & REF_TAGS) && !memcmp(name, "tags/", 5))
+		return 1;
+
+	/* All type bits clear means that we are ok with anything */
+	return !(flags & ~REF_NORMAL);
+}
+
 /*
  * Read all the refs from the other end
  */
 struct ref **get_remote_heads(int in, struct ref **list,
-			      int nr_match, char **match, int ignore_funny)
+			      int nr_match, char **match,
+			      unsigned int flags)
 {
 	*list = NULL;
 	for (;;) {
@@ -43,10 +72,8 @@ struct ref **get_remote_heads(int in, struct ref **list,
 			server_capabilities = strdup(name + name_len + 1);
 		}
 
-		if (ignore_funny && 45 < len && !memcmp(name, "refs/", 5) &&
-		    check_ref_format(name + 5))
+		if (!check_ref(name, name_len, flags))
 			continue;
-
 		if (nr_match && !path_match(name, nr_match, match))
 			continue;
 		ref = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*ref) + len - 40);
diff --git a/peek-remote.c b/peek-remote.c
index a90cf22069..2b30980b04 100644
--- a/peek-remote.c
+++ b/peek-remote.c
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ static const char peek_remote_usage[] =
 "git-peek-remote [--exec=upload-pack] [host:]directory";
 static const char *exec = "git-upload-pack";
 
-static int peek_remote(int fd[2])
+static int peek_remote(int fd[2], unsigned flags)
 {
 	struct ref *ref;
 
-	get_remote_heads(fd[0], &ref, 0, NULL, 0);
+	get_remote_heads(fd[0], &ref, 0, NULL, flags);
 	packet_flush(fd[1]);
 
 	while (ref) {
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	int fd[2];
 	pid_t pid;
 	int nongit = 0;
+	unsigned flags = 0;
 
 	setup_git_directory_gently(&nongit);
 
@@ -35,22 +36,35 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		char *arg = argv[i];
 
 		if (*arg == '-') {
-			if (!strncmp("--exec=", arg, 7))
+			if (!strncmp("--exec=", arg, 7)) {
 				exec = arg + 7;
-			else
-				usage(peek_remote_usage);
-			continue;
+				continue;
+			}
+			if (!strcmp("--tags", arg)) {
+				flags |= REF_TAGS;
+				continue;
+			}
+			if (!strcmp("--heads", arg)) {
+				flags |= REF_HEADS;
+				continue;
+			}
+			if (!strcmp("--refs", arg)) {
+				flags |= REF_NORMAL;
+				continue;
+			}
+			usage(peek_remote_usage);
 		}
 		dest = arg;
 		break;
 	}
+
 	if (!dest || i != argc - 1)
 		usage(peek_remote_usage);
 
 	pid = git_connect(fd, dest, exec);
 	if (pid < 0)
 		return 1;
-	ret = peek_remote(fd);
+	ret = peek_remote(fd, flags);
 	close(fd[0]);
 	close(fd[1]);
 	finish_connect(pid);
diff --git a/send-pack.c b/send-pack.c
index af93b11f23..4019a4b981 100644
--- a/send-pack.c
+++ b/send-pack.c
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ static int send_pack(int in, int out, int nr_refspec, char **refspec)
 	int expect_status_report = 0;
 
 	/* No funny business with the matcher */
-	remote_tail = get_remote_heads(in, &remote_refs, 0, NULL, 1);
+	remote_tail = get_remote_heads(in, &remote_refs, 0, NULL, REF_NORMAL);
 	get_local_heads();
 
 	/* Does the other end support the reporting? */