diff --git a/doc/source/user/jobs.rst b/doc/source/user/jobs.rst
index f65ee19df8..0639b8b509 100644
--- a/doc/source/user/jobs.rst
+++ b/doc/source/user/jobs.rst
@@ -172,6 +172,12 @@ of item.
       The git ref of the item.  This will be the full path (e.g.,
       `refs/heads/master` or `refs/changes/...`).
 
+   .. var:: override_checkout
+
+      If the job was configured to override the branch or tag checked
+      out, this will contain the specified value.  Otherwise, it will
+      be null.
+
    .. var:: pipeline
 
       The name of the pipeline in which the job is being run.
@@ -252,6 +258,12 @@ of item.
          A boolean indicating whether this project appears in the
          :attr:`job.required-projects` list for this job.
 
+      .. var:: checkout
+
+         The branch or tag that Zuul checked out for this project.
+         This may be influenced by the branch or tag associated with
+         the item as well as the job configuration.
+
    .. var:: _projects
       :type: dict
 
diff --git a/zuul/executor/client.py b/zuul/executor/client.py
index fba472f560..09321e4ef6 100644
--- a/zuul/executor/client.py
+++ b/zuul/executor/client.py
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ class ExecutorClient(object):
                            tenant=tenant.name,
                            timeout=job.timeout,
                            jobtags=sorted(job.tags),
+                           override_checkout=job.override_checkout,
                            _inheritance_path=list(job.inheritance_path))
         if hasattr(item.change, 'branch'):
             zuul_params['branch'] = item.change.branch
diff --git a/zuul/executor/server.py b/zuul/executor/server.py
index 79fa91e0e2..791652f373 100644
--- a/zuul/executor/server.py
+++ b/zuul/executor/server.py
@@ -676,16 +676,19 @@ class AnsibleJob(object):
                 ref = args['zuul']['ref']
             else:
                 ref = None
-            self.checkoutBranch(repo,
-                                project['name'],
-                                ref,
-                                args['branch'],
-                                args['override_branch'],
-                                args['override_checkout'],
-                                project['override_branch'],
-                                project['override_checkout'],
-                                project['default_branch'])
-
+            selected = self.checkoutBranch(repo,
+                                           project['name'],
+                                           ref,
+                                           args['branch'],
+                                           args['override_branch'],
+                                           args['override_checkout'],
+                                           project['override_branch'],
+                                           project['override_checkout'],
+                                           project['default_branch'])
+            # Update the inventory variables to indicate the ref we
+            # checked out
+            p = args['zuul']['_projects'][project['canonical_name']]
+            p['checkout'] = selected
         # Delete the origin remote from each repo we set up since
         # it will not be valid within the jobs.
         for repo in repos.values():
@@ -764,44 +767,45 @@ class AnsibleJob(object):
                        project_default_branch):
         branches = repo.getBranches()
         refs = [r.name for r in repo.getRefs()]
+        selected_ref = None
         if project_override_branch in branches:
+            selected_ref = project_override_branch
             self.log.info("Checking out %s project override branch %s",
-                          project_name, project_override_branch)
-            repo.checkout(project_override_branch)
+                          project_name, selected_ref)
         if project_override_checkout in refs:
+            selected_ref = project_override_checkout
             self.log.info("Checking out %s project override ref %s",
-                          project_name, project_override_checkout)
-            repo.checkout(project_override_checkout)
+                          project_name, selected_ref)
         elif job_override_branch in branches:
+            selected_ref = job_override_branch
             self.log.info("Checking out %s job override branch %s",
-                          project_name, job_override_branch)
-            repo.checkout(job_override_branch)
+                          project_name, selected_ref)
         elif job_override_checkout in refs:
+            selected_ref = job_override_checkout
             self.log.info("Checking out %s job override ref %s",
-                          project_name, job_override_checkout)
-            repo.checkout(job_override_checkout)
+                          project_name, selected_ref)
         elif ref and ref.startswith('refs/heads/'):
-            b = ref[len('refs/heads/'):]
+            selected_ref = ref[len('refs/heads/'):]
             self.log.info("Checking out %s branch ref %s",
-                          project_name, b)
-            repo.checkout(b)
+                          project_name, selected_ref)
         elif ref and ref.startswith('refs/tags/'):
-            t = ref[len('refs/tags/'):]
+            selected_ref = ref[len('refs/tags/'):]
             self.log.info("Checking out %s tag ref %s",
-                          project_name, t)
-            repo.checkout(t)
+                          project_name, selected_ref)
         elif zuul_branch and zuul_branch in branches:
+            selected_ref = zuul_branch
             self.log.info("Checking out %s zuul branch %s",
-                          project_name, zuul_branch)
-            repo.checkout(zuul_branch)
+                          project_name, selected_ref)
         elif project_default_branch in branches:
+            selected_ref = project_default_branch
             self.log.info("Checking out %s project default branch %s",
-                          project_name, project_default_branch)
-            repo.checkout(project_default_branch)
+                          project_name, selected_ref)
         else:
             raise ExecutorError("Project %s does not have the "
                                 "default branch %s" %
                                 (project_name, project_default_branch))
+        repo.checkout(selected_ref)
+        return selected_ref
 
     def runPlaybooks(self, args):
         result = None