diff --git a/t/t5801-remote-helpers.sh b/t/t5801-remote-helpers.sh
index f572271941..4dcf744f97 100755
--- a/t/t5801-remote-helpers.sh
+++ b/t/t5801-remote-helpers.sh
@@ -153,6 +153,18 @@ test_expect_success 'push ref with existing object' '
 	compare_refs local dup server dup
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'push update refs' '
+	(cd local &&
+	git checkout -b update master &&
+	echo update >>file &&
+	git commit -a -m update &&
+	git push origin update
+	git rev-parse --verify remotes/origin/update >expect &&
+	git rev-parse --verify testgit/origin/heads/update >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+	)
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'proper failure checks for fetching' '
 	(GIT_REMOTE_TESTGIT_FAILURE=1 &&
 	export GIT_REMOTE_TESTGIT_FAILURE &&
diff --git a/transport-helper.c b/transport-helper.c
index d48e00d03c..92174095ed 100644
--- a/transport-helper.c
+++ b/transport-helper.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "thread-utils.h"
 #include "sigchain.h"
 #include "argv-array.h"
+#include "refs.h"
 
 static int debug;
 
@@ -620,7 +621,7 @@ static int fetch(struct transport *transport,
 	return -1;
 }
 
-static void push_update_ref_status(struct strbuf *buf,
+static int push_update_ref_status(struct strbuf *buf,
 				   struct ref **ref,
 				   struct ref *remote_refs)
 {
@@ -686,7 +687,7 @@ static void push_update_ref_status(struct strbuf *buf,
 		*ref = find_ref_by_name(remote_refs, refname);
 	if (!*ref) {
 		warning("helper reported unexpected status of %s", refname);
-		return;
+		return 1;
 	}
 
 	if ((*ref)->status != REF_STATUS_NONE) {
@@ -695,11 +696,12 @@ static void push_update_ref_status(struct strbuf *buf,
 		 * status reported by the remote helper if the latter is 'no match'.
 		 */
 		if (status == REF_STATUS_NONE)
-			return;
+			return 1;
 	}
 
 	(*ref)->status = status;
 	(*ref)->remote_status = msg;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static void push_update_refs_status(struct helper_data *data,
@@ -708,11 +710,24 @@ static void push_update_refs_status(struct helper_data *data,
 	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct ref *ref = remote_refs;
 	for (;;) {
+		char *private;
+
 		recvline(data, &buf);
 		if (!buf.len)
 			break;
 
-		push_update_ref_status(&buf, &ref, remote_refs);
+		if (push_update_ref_status(&buf, &ref, remote_refs))
+			continue;
+
+		if (!data->refspecs)
+			continue;
+
+		/* propagate back the update to the remote namespace */
+		private = apply_refspecs(data->refspecs, data->refspec_nr, ref->name);
+		if (!private)
+			continue;
+		update_ref("update by helper", private, ref->new_sha1, NULL, 0, 0);
+		free(private);
 	}
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
 }