diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/ChangeInserter.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/ChangeInserter.java
index 3fff5bab3f..249b52260c 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/ChangeInserter.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/change/ChangeInserter.java
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ public class ChangeInserter extends BatchUpdate.InsertChangeOp {
   private Set<Account.Id> extraCC;
   private Map<String, Short> approvals;
   private RequestScopePropagator requestScopePropagator;
+  private ReceiveCommand updateRefCommand;
   private boolean runHooks;
   private boolean sendMail;
   private boolean updateRef;
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ public class ChangeInserter extends BatchUpdate.InsertChangeOp {
     this.reviewers = Collections.emptySet();
     this.extraCC = Collections.emptySet();
     this.approvals = Collections.emptyMap();
+    this.updateRefCommand = null;
     this.runHooks = true;
     this.sendMail = true;
     this.updateRef = true;
@@ -258,6 +260,10 @@ public class ChangeInserter extends BatchUpdate.InsertChangeOp {
     return this;
   }
 
+  public void setUpdateRefCommand(ReceiveCommand cmd) {
+    updateRefCommand = cmd;
+  }
+
   public PatchSet getPatchSet() {
     checkState(patchSet != null,
         "getPatchSet() only valid after creating change");
@@ -290,8 +296,12 @@ public class ChangeInserter extends BatchUpdate.InsertChangeOp {
     if (!updateRef) {
       return;
     }
-    ctx.addRefUpdate(
-        new ReceiveCommand(ObjectId.zeroId(), commit, psId.toRefName()));
+    if (updateRefCommand == null) {
+      ctx.addRefUpdate(
+          new ReceiveCommand(ObjectId.zeroId(), commit, psId.toRefName()));
+    } else {
+      ctx.addRefUpdate(updateRefCommand);
+    }
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ReceiveCommits.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ReceiveCommits.java
index ef028555b1..c2c7a53d31 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ReceiveCommits.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/ReceiveCommits.java
@@ -1753,6 +1753,7 @@ public class ReceiveCommits {
           .setValidatePolicy(CommitValidators.Policy.NONE);
       cmd = new ReceiveCommand(ObjectId.zeroId(), c,
           ins.getPatchSetId().toRefName());
+      ins.setUpdateRefCommand(cmd);
     }
 
     CheckedFuture<Void, RestApiException> insertChange() {
@@ -1800,7 +1801,7 @@ public class ReceiveCommits {
             .setMessage(msg)
             .setRequestScopePropagator(requestScopePropagator)
             .setSendMail(true)
-            .setUpdateRef(false));
+            .setUpdateRef(true));
         if (magicBranch != null) {
           bu.addOp(
               changeId,