diff --git a/tests/unit/test_merger_repo.py b/tests/unit/test_merger_repo.py
index 9a626ea56b..8fdfdb20d4 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_merger_repo.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_merger_repo.py
@@ -35,6 +35,19 @@ class TestMergerRepo(ZuulTestCase):
         super(TestMergerRepo, self).setUp()
         self.workspace_root = os.path.join(self.test_root, 'workspace')
 
+    def test_create_head_path(self):
+        parent_path = os.path.join(self.upstream_root, 'org/project1')
+        parent_repo = git.Repo(parent_path)
+        parent_repo.create_head("refs/heads/foobar")
+        parent_repo.create_head("refs/heads/refs/heads/foobar")
+
+        work_repo = Repo(parent_path, self.workspace_root,
+                         'none@example.org', 'User Name', '0', '0')
+        repo = work_repo.createRepoObject(None)
+        self.assertIn('foobar', repo.branches)
+        self.assertIn('refs/heads/foobar', repo.branches)
+        self.assertNotIn('refs/heads/refs/heads/foobar', repo.branches)
+
     def test_ensure_cloned(self):
         parent_path = os.path.join(self.upstream_root, 'org/project1')
 
diff --git a/zuul/merger/merger.py b/zuul/merger/merger.py
index 72e2a2d77b..141d99212f 100644
--- a/zuul/merger/merger.py
+++ b/zuul/merger/merger.py
@@ -184,7 +184,9 @@ class Repo(object):
             for ref in origin.refs:
                 if ref.remote_head == 'HEAD':
                     continue
-                repo.create_head(ref.remote_head, ref, force=True)
+                repo.create_head('refs/heads/' + ref.remote_head,
+                                 ref,
+                                 force=True)
         with repo.config_writer() as config_writer:
             if self.email:
                 config_writer.set_value('user', 'email', self.email)
@@ -384,7 +386,7 @@ class Repo(object):
         for ref in origin.refs:
             if ref.remote_head == 'HEAD':
                 continue
-            repo.create_head(ref.remote_head, ref, force=True)
+            repo.create_head('refs/heads/' + ref.remote_head, ref, force=True)
         return messages
 
     def reset(self, zuul_event_id=None, build=None, process_worker=None):