diff --git a/git-checkout.sh b/git-checkout.sh
index 580a9e8a23..dd477245fb 100755
--- a/git-checkout.sh
+++ b/git-checkout.sh
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ USAGE='[-f] [-b <new_branch>] [-m] [<branch>] [<paths>...]'
 SUBDIRECTORY_OK=Sometimes
 . git-sh-setup
 
-old=$(git-rev-parse HEAD)
 old_name=HEAD
+old=$(git-rev-parse --verify $old_name 2>/dev/null)
 new=
 new_name=
 force=
@@ -139,6 +139,13 @@ fi
 	die "git checkout: to checkout the requested commit you need to specify 
               a name for a new branch which is created and switched to"
 
+if [ "X$old" = X ]
+then
+	echo "warning: You do not appear to currently be on a branch." >&2
+	echo "warning: Forcing checkout of $new_name." >&2
+	force=1
+fi
+
 if [ "$force" ]
 then
     git-read-tree --reset -u $new
diff --git a/t/t7201-co.sh b/t/t7201-co.sh
index b64e8b7d77..085d4a096b 100755
--- a/t/t7201-co.sh
+++ b/t/t7201-co.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,15 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 	git checkout master
 '
 
+test_expect_success "checkout from non-existing branch" '
+
+	git checkout -b delete-me master &&
+	rm .git/refs/heads/delete-me &&
+	test refs/heads/delete-me = "$(git symbolic-ref HEAD)" &&
+	git checkout master &&
+	test refs/heads/master = "$(git symbolic-ref HEAD)"
+'
+
 test_expect_success "checkout with dirty tree without -m" '
 
 	fill 0 1 2 3 4 5 >one &&