diff --git a/lib/core/git_repo.dart b/lib/core/git_repo.dart
index a9a66336..37b8996e 100644
--- a/lib/core/git_repo.dart
+++ b/lib/core/git_repo.dart
@@ -241,6 +241,20 @@ class GitNoteRepository {
     }
   }
 
+  Future<String> defaultBranch(String remoteName) async {
+    try {
+      return await _gitRepo.defaultBranch(
+        remote: remoteName,
+        publicKey: settings.sshPublicKey,
+        privateKey: settings.sshPrivateKey,
+        password: settings.sshPassword,
+      );
+    } on GitException catch (ex, stackTrace) {
+      Log.e("GitDefaultBranch Failed", ex: ex, stacktrace: stackTrace);
+      rethrow;
+    }
+  }
+
   Future<int> numChanges() async {
     try {
       var repo = await git.GitRepository.load(gitDirPath);
diff --git a/lib/repository.dart b/lib/repository.dart
index 471d4960..286f9cf5 100644
--- a/lib/repository.dart
+++ b/lib/repository.dart
@@ -450,14 +450,14 @@ class Repository with ChangeNotifier {
 
       var repo = await GitRepository.load(repoPath);
       var remote = repo.config.remote(remoteName);
-      var remoteBranch = await repo.guessRemoteHead(remoteName);
-      var remoteBranchName =
-          remoteBranch != null ? remoteBranch.name.branchName() : "master";
+      var remoteBranchName = await _gitRepo.defaultBranch(remoteName);
+      var remoteBranch = await repo.remoteBranch(remoteName, remoteBranchName);
+      Log.i("Using remote branch: $remoteBranchName");
 
       var branches = await repo.branches();
       if (branches.isEmpty) {
         Log.i("Completing - no local branch");
-        if (remoteBranch != null) {
+        if (remoteBranchName != null && remoteBranchName.isNotEmpty) {
           await repo.checkoutBranch(remoteBranchName, remoteBranch.hash);
         }
         await repo.setUpstreamTo(remote, remoteBranchName);
diff --git a/pubspec.lock b/pubspec.lock
index 79fd623a..57c42e96 100644
--- a/pubspec.lock
+++ b/pubspec.lock
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ packages:
     description:
       path: "."
       ref: HEAD
-      resolved-ref: "2598c4cf21c4e23639b7eb5f3e1dd66cfd8eccd9"
+      resolved-ref: b6ae8855561bfe82b82417f9251917e1f29740a0
       url: "https://github.com/GitJournal/git_bindings.git"
     source: git
     version: "0.0.18"