diff --git a/git-p4.py b/git-p4.py
index b123aa2726..ac6f4c14fb 100755
--- a/git-p4.py
+++ b/git-p4.py
@@ -2274,7 +2274,7 @@ class P4Sync(Command, P4UserMap):
         self.useClientSpec_from_options = False
         self.clientSpecDirs = None
         self.tempBranches = []
-        self.tempBranchLocation = "git-p4-tmp"
+        self.tempBranchLocation = "refs/git-p4-tmp"
         self.largeFileSystem = None
 
         if gitConfig('git-p4.largeFileSystem'):
diff --git a/t/t9801-git-p4-branch.sh b/t/t9801-git-p4-branch.sh
index 0aafd03334..6a86d6996b 100755
--- a/t/t9801-git-p4-branch.sh
+++ b/t/t9801-git-p4-branch.sh
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ test_expect_success 'git p4 clone complex branches' '
 		test_path_is_file file2 &&
 		test_path_is_file file3 &&
 		! grep update file2 &&
-		test_path_is_missing .git/git-p4-tmp
+		test_must_fail git show-ref --verify refs/git-p4-tmp
 	)
 '
 
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ test_expect_success 'git p4 sync changes to two branches in the same changelist'
 		test_path_is_file file2 &&
 		test_path_is_file file3 &&
 		! grep update file2 &&
-		test_path_is_missing .git/git-p4-tmp
+		test_must_fail git show-ref --verify refs/git-p4-tmp
 	)
 '