diff --git a/docs/references.rst b/docs/references.rst
index 4d9a16b..db97ff8 100644
--- a/docs/references.rst
+++ b/docs/references.rst
@@ -17,16 +17,18 @@ Example::
 The Reference type
 ====================
 
+.. autoclass:: pygit2.Reference
+
 .. autoattribute:: pygit2.Reference.name
 .. autoattribute:: pygit2.Reference.shorthand
 .. autoattribute:: pygit2.Reference.target
 .. autoattribute:: pygit2.Reference.type
 
+.. automethod:: pygit2.Reference.set_target
 .. automethod:: pygit2.Reference.delete
 .. automethod:: pygit2.Reference.rename
 .. automethod:: pygit2.Reference.resolve
 .. automethod:: pygit2.Reference.log
-.. automethod:: pygit2.Reference.log_append
 
    Example::
 
diff --git a/pygit2/decl.h b/pygit2/decl.h
index 510975b..c7b7001 100644
--- a/pygit2/decl.h
+++ b/pygit2/decl.h
@@ -30,6 +30,13 @@ typedef struct git_strarray {
 typedef int64_t git_off_t;
 typedef int64_t git_time_t;
 
+typedef enum {
+	GIT_REF_INVALID = 0,
+	GIT_REF_OID = 1,
+	GIT_REF_SYMBOLIC = 2,
+	GIT_REF_LISTALL = 3,
+} git_ref_t;
+
 typedef enum {
 	GIT_OK = 0,
 	GIT_ERROR = -1,
@@ -462,6 +469,9 @@ int git_repository_init_ext(
 	const char *repo_path,
 	git_repository_init_options *opts);
 
+int git_repository_set_head(git_repository *repo, const char *refname, const git_signature *signature, const char *log_message);
+int git_repository_set_head_detached(git_repository *repo, const git_oid *commitish, const git_signature *signature, const char *log_message);
+
 /*
  * git_index
  */
diff --git a/pygit2/repository.py b/pygit2/repository.py
index fd50d74..27db17a 100644
--- a/pygit2/repository.py
+++ b/pygit2/repository.py
@@ -275,7 +275,57 @@ class Repository(_Repository):
         oid = reference.resolve().target
         treeish = self[oid]
         self.checkout_tree(treeish, **kwargs)
-        self.head = refname
+        head = self.lookup_reference('HEAD')
+        if head.type == C.GIT_REF_SYMBOLIC:
+            from_ = self.head.shorthand
+        else:
+            from_ = head.target.hex
+
+        try:
+            signature = self.default_signature
+        except:
+            signature = None
+
+        reflog_text = "checkout: moving from %s to %s" % (from_, reference)
+        self.set_head(refname, signature, reflog_text)
+
+    #
+    # Setting HEAD
+    #
+    def set_head(self, target, signature=None, message=None):
+        """Set HEAD to point to the given target
+
+        Arguments:
+
+        target
+            The new target for HEAD. Can be a string or Oid (to detach)
+
+        signature
+            Signature to use for the reflog. If not provided, the repository's
+            default will be used
+
+        message
+            Message to use for the reflog
+        """
+
+        sig_ptr = ffi.new('git_signature **')
+        if signature:
+            ffi.buffer(sig_ptr)[:] = signature._pointer[:]
+
+        message_ptr = ffi.NULL
+        if message_ptr:
+            message_ptr = to_bytes(message)
+
+        if isinstance(target, Oid):
+            oid = ffi.new('git_oid *')
+            ffi.buffer(oid)[:] = target.raw[:]
+            err = C.git_repository_set_head_detached(self._repo, oid, sig_ptr[0], message_ptr)
+            check_error(err)
+            return
+
+        # if it's a string, then it's a reference name
+        err = C.git_repository_set_head(self._repo, to_bytes(target), sig_ptr[0], message_ptr)
+        check_error(err)
 
     #
     # Diff
diff --git a/src/reference.c b/src/reference.c
index cbd96d7..b89f023 100644
--- a/src/reference.c
+++ b/src/reference.c
@@ -205,10 +205,7 @@ Reference_resolve(Reference *self, PyObject *args)
 PyDoc_STRVAR(Reference_target__doc__,
     "The reference target: If direct the value will be an Oid object, if it\n"
     "is symbolic it will be an string with the full name of the target\n"
-    "reference.\n"
-    "\n"
-    "The target is writable. Setting the Reference's target to another Oid\n"
-    "object will direct the reference to that Oid instead.");
+    "reference.\n");
 
 PyObject *
 Reference_target__get__(Reference *self)
@@ -230,48 +227,80 @@ Reference_target__get__(Reference *self)
     return to_path(c_name);
 }
 
-int
-Reference_target__set__(Reference *self, PyObject *py_target)
+PyDoc_STRVAR(Reference_set_target__doc__,
+    "set_target(target, [signature, message])\n"
+    "\n"
+    "Set the target of this reference.\n"
+    "\n"
+    "Update the reference using the given signature and message.\n"
+    "These will be used to fill the reflog entry which will be created\n"
+    "as a result of this update\n"
+    "\n"
+    "Arguments:\n"
+    "\n"
+    "target\n"
+    "    The new target for this reference\n"
+    "signature\n"
+    "    The signature to use for the reflog. If left out, the repository's\n"
+    "    default identity will be used.\n"
+    "message\n"
+    "    Message to use for the reflog.\n");
+
+PyObject *
+Reference_set_target(Reference *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 {
     git_oid oid;
     char *c_name;
     int err;
     git_reference *new_ref;
+    const git_signature *sig = NULL;
+    PyObject *py_target = NULL;
+    Signature *py_signature = NULL;
+    const char *message = NULL;
+    char *keywords[] = {"target", "signature", "message", NULL};
 
-    CHECK_REFERENCE_INT(self);
+    CHECK_REFERENCE(self);
+
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(args, kwds, "O|O!s", keywords,
+                                     &py_target, &SignatureType, &py_signature, &message))
+        return NULL;
+
+    if (py_signature)
+        sig = py_signature->signature;
 
     /* Case 1: Direct */
     if (GIT_REF_OID == git_reference_type(self->reference)) {
         err = py_oid_to_git_oid_expand(self->repo->repo, py_target, &oid);
         if (err < 0)
-            return err;
+            goto error;
 
-        err = git_reference_set_target(&new_ref, self->reference, &oid, NULL, NULL);
+        err = git_reference_set_target(&new_ref, self->reference, &oid, sig, message);
         if (err < 0)
             goto error;
 
         git_reference_free(self->reference);
         self->reference = new_ref;
-        return 0;
+        Py_RETURN_NONE;
     }
 
     /* Case 2: Symbolic */
     c_name = py_path_to_c_str(py_target);
     if (c_name == NULL)
-        return -1;
+        return NULL;
 
-    err = git_reference_symbolic_set_target(&new_ref, self->reference, c_name, NULL, NULL);
+    err = git_reference_symbolic_set_target(&new_ref, self->reference, c_name, sig, message);
     free(c_name);
     if (err < 0)
         goto error;
 
     git_reference_free(self->reference);
     self->reference = new_ref;
-    return 0;
+
+    Py_RETURN_NONE;
 
 error:
     Error_set(err);
-    return -1;
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 
@@ -335,72 +364,6 @@ Reference_log(Reference *self)
     return (PyObject*)iter;
 }
 
-PyDoc_STRVAR(Reference_log_append__doc__,
-  "log_append(oid, committer, message[, encoding])\n"
-  "\n"
-  "Append a reflog entry to the reference. If the oid is None then keep\n"
-  "the current reference's oid. The message parameter may be None.");
-
-PyObject *
-Reference_log_append(Reference *self, PyObject *args)
-{
-    git_signature *committer;
-    const char *message = NULL;
-    git_reflog *reflog;
-    git_oid oid;
-    const git_oid *ref_oid;
-    int err;
-    PyObject *py_oid = NULL;
-    Signature *py_committer;
-    PyObject *py_message = NULL;
-    char *encoding = NULL;
-    git_repository *repo;
-
-    CHECK_REFERENCE(self);
-
-    /* Input parameters */
-    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "OO!O|s", &py_oid,
-                          &SignatureType, &py_committer,
-                          &py_message, &encoding))
-        return NULL;
-
-    if (py_oid == Py_None)
-        ref_oid = git_reference_target(self->reference);
-    else {
-        err = py_oid_to_git_oid_expand(self->repo->repo, py_oid, &oid);
-        if (err < 0)
-            return NULL;
-        ref_oid = &oid;
-    }
-
-    if (py_message != Py_None) {
-        message = py_str_to_c_str(py_message, encoding);
-        if (message == NULL)
-            return NULL;
-    }
-
-    /* Go */
-    repo = git_reference_owner(self->reference);
-    err = git_reflog_read(&reflog, repo, git_reference_name(self->reference));
-    if (err < 0) {
-        free((void *)message);
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
-    committer = (git_signature *)py_committer->signature;
-    err = git_reflog_append(reflog, ref_oid, committer, message);
-    if (!err)
-        err = git_reflog_write(reflog);
-
-    git_reflog_free(reflog);
-    free((void *)message);
-
-    if (err < 0)
-        return NULL;
-
-    Py_RETURN_NONE;
-}
-
 PyDoc_STRVAR(Reference_get_object__doc__,
   "get_object() -> object\n"
   "\n"
@@ -514,15 +477,15 @@ PyMethodDef Reference_methods[] = {
     METHOD(Reference, rename, METH_O),
     METHOD(Reference, resolve, METH_NOARGS),
     METHOD(Reference, log, METH_NOARGS),
-    METHOD(Reference, log_append, METH_VARARGS),
     METHOD(Reference, get_object, METH_NOARGS),
+    METHOD(Reference, set_target, METH_VARARGS | METH_KEYWORDS),
     {NULL}
 };
 
 PyGetSetDef Reference_getseters[] = {
     GETTER(Reference, name),
     GETTER(Reference, shorthand),
-    GETSET(Reference, target),
+    GETTER(Reference, target),
     GETTER(Reference, type),
     {NULL}
 };
diff --git a/src/repository.c b/src/repository.c
index c02a0f1..31075c2 100644
--- a/src/repository.c
+++ b/src/repository.c
@@ -177,38 +177,6 @@ Repository_head__get__(Repository *self)
     return wrap_reference(head, self);
 }
 
-int
-Repository_head__set__(Repository *self, PyObject *py_val)
-{
-    int err;
-    if (PyObject_TypeCheck(py_val, &OidType)) {
-        git_oid oid;
-        py_oid_to_git_oid(py_val, &oid);
-        err = git_repository_set_head_detached(self->repo, &oid, NULL, NULL);
-        if (err < 0) {
-            Error_set(err);
-            return -1;
-        }
-    } else {
-        const char *refname;
-        PyObject *trefname;
-
-        refname = py_str_borrow_c_str(&trefname, py_val, NULL);
-        if (refname == NULL)
-            return -1;
-
-        err = git_repository_set_head(self->repo, refname, NULL, NULL);
-        Py_DECREF(trefname);
-        if (err < 0) {
-            Error_set_str(err, refname);
-            return -1;
-        }
-    }
-
-    return 0;
-}
-
-
 PyDoc_STRVAR(Repository_head_is_detached__doc__,
   "A repository's HEAD is detached when it points directly to a commit\n"
   "instead of a branch.");
@@ -1447,7 +1415,7 @@ PyMethodDef Repository_methods[] = {
 
 PyGetSetDef Repository_getseters[] = {
     GETTER(Repository, path),
-    GETSET(Repository, head),
+    GETTER(Repository, head),
     GETTER(Repository, head_is_detached),
     GETTER(Repository, head_is_unborn),
     GETTER(Repository, is_empty),
diff --git a/test/test_reflog.py b/test/test_reflog.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 1251c2b..0000000
--- a/test/test_reflog.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-# -*- coding: UTF-8 -*-
-#
-# Copyright 2010-2014 The pygit2 contributors
-#
-# This file is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
-# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License, version 2,
-# as published by the Free Software Foundation.
-#
-# In addition to the permissions in the GNU General Public License,
-# the authors give you unlimited permission to link the compiled
-# version of this file into combinations with other programs,
-# and to distribute those combinations without any restriction
-# coming from the use of this file.  (The General Public License
-# restrictions do apply in other respects; for example, they cover
-# modification of the file, and distribution when not linked into
-# a combined executable.)
-#
-# This file is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
-# WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
-# General Public License for more details.
-#
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-# along with this program; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to
-# the Free Software Foundation, 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
-# Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
-
-"""Tests for reference log."""
-
-from __future__ import absolute_import
-from __future__ import unicode_literals
-
-from pygit2 import Signature
-from . import utils
-
-
-class ReflogTest(utils.RepoTestCase):
-
-    def test_log_append(self):
-        repo = self.repo
-        master = repo.lookup_reference("refs/heads/master")
-        signature = Signature('xtao', 'xutao@douban.com')
-        master.log_append(None, signature, 'reflog')
-        self.assertTrue('reflog' in [entry.message for entry in master.log()])
diff --git a/test/test_refs.py b/test/test_refs.py
index 0757b7a..35aea55 100644
--- a/test/test_refs.py
+++ b/test/test_refs.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 import unittest
 
-from pygit2 import GitError, GIT_REF_OID, GIT_REF_SYMBOLIC
+from pygit2 import GitError, GIT_REF_OID, GIT_REF_SYMBOLIC, Signature
 from . import utils
 
 
@@ -77,13 +77,13 @@ class ReferencesTest(utils.RepoTestCase):
     def test_reference_set_sha(self):
         NEW_COMMIT = '5ebeeebb320790caf276b9fc8b24546d63316533'
         reference = self.repo.lookup_reference('refs/heads/master')
-        reference.target = NEW_COMMIT
+        reference.set_target(NEW_COMMIT)
         self.assertEqual(reference.target.hex, NEW_COMMIT)
 
     def test_reference_set_sha_prefix(self):
         NEW_COMMIT = '5ebeeebb320790caf276b9fc8b24546d63316533'
         reference = self.repo.lookup_reference('refs/heads/master')
-        reference.target = NEW_COMMIT[0:6]
+        reference.set_target(NEW_COMMIT[0:6])
         self.assertEqual(reference.target.hex, NEW_COMMIT)
 
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ class ReferencesTest(utils.RepoTestCase):
     def test_set_target(self):
         reference = self.repo.lookup_reference('HEAD')
         self.assertEqual(reference.target, 'refs/heads/master')
-        reference.target = 'refs/heads/i18n'
+        reference.set_target('refs/heads/i18n')
         self.assertEqual(reference.target, 'refs/heads/i18n')
 
     def test_get_shorthand(self):
@@ -109,6 +109,16 @@ class ReferencesTest(utils.RepoTestCase):
         reference = self.repo.create_reference('refs/remotes/origin/master', LAST_COMMIT)
         self.assertEqual(reference.shorthand, 'origin/master')
 
+    def test_set_target_with_message(self):
+        reference = self.repo.lookup_reference('HEAD')
+        self.assertEqual(reference.target, 'refs/heads/master')
+        sig = Signature('foo', 'bar')
+        msg = 'Hello log'
+        reference.set_target('refs/heads/i18n', signature=sig, message=msg)
+        self.assertEqual(reference.target, 'refs/heads/i18n')
+        self.assertEqual(list(reference.log())[0].message, msg)
+        self.assertEqualSignature(list(reference.log())[0].committer, sig)
+
     def test_delete(self):
         repo = self.repo
 
@@ -124,8 +134,6 @@ class ReferencesTest(utils.RepoTestCase):
         self.assertRaises(GitError, getattr, reference, 'name')
         self.assertRaises(GitError, getattr, reference, 'type')
         self.assertRaises(GitError, getattr, reference, 'target')
-        self.assertRaises(GitError, setattr, reference, 'target', LAST_COMMIT)
-        self.assertRaises(GitError, setattr, reference, 'target', "a/b/c")
         self.assertRaises(GitError, reference.delete)
         self.assertRaises(GitError, reference.resolve)
         self.assertRaises(GitError, reference.rename, "refs/tags/version2")
diff --git a/test/test_repository.py b/test/test_repository.py
index 566715a..72a5e64 100644
--- a/test/test_repository.py
+++ b/test/test_repository.py
@@ -76,10 +76,10 @@ class RepositoryTest(utils.BareRepoTestCase):
 
     def test_set_head(self):
         # Test setting a detatched HEAD.
-        self.repo.head = Oid(hex=PARENT_SHA)
+        self.repo.set_head(Oid(hex=PARENT_SHA))
         self.assertEqual(self.repo.head.target.hex, PARENT_SHA)
         # And test setting a normal HEAD.
-        self.repo.head = "refs/heads/master"
+        self.repo.set_head("refs/heads/master")
         self.assertEqual(self.repo.head.name, "refs/heads/master")
         self.assertEqual(self.repo.head.target.hex, HEAD_SHA)