diff --git a/builtin/fast-export.c b/builtin/fast-export.c
index 2547e6cb52..77dffd1ce3 100644
--- a/builtin/fast-export.c
+++ b/builtin/fast-export.c
@@ -526,10 +526,14 @@ static void get_tags_and_duplicates(struct rev_cmdline_info *info,
 				typename(e->item->type));
 			continue;
 		}
-		if (commit->util)
-			/* more than one name for the same object */
+
+		/*
+		 * This ref will not be updated through a commit, lets make
+		 * sure it gets properly updated eventually.
+		 */
+		if (commit->util || commit->object.flags & SHOWN)
 			string_list_append(extra_refs, full_name)->util = commit;
-		else
+		if (!commit->util)
 			commit->util = full_name;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/t/t5801-remote-helpers.sh b/t/t5801-remote-helpers.sh
index ece8fd5ab8..f387027c05 100755
--- a/t/t5801-remote-helpers.sh
+++ b/t/t5801-remote-helpers.sh
@@ -63,18 +63,6 @@ test_expect_success 'fetch new branch' '
 	compare_refs server HEAD local FETCH_HEAD
 '
 
-#
-# This is only needed because of a bug not detected by this script. It will be
-# fixed shortly, but for now lets not cause regressions.
-#
-test_expect_success 'bump commit in server' '
-	(cd server &&
-	git checkout master &&
-	echo content >>file &&
-	git commit -a -m four) &&
-	compare_refs server HEAD server HEAD
-'
-
 test_expect_success 'fetch multiple branches' '
 	(cd local &&
 	 git fetch
@@ -170,4 +158,12 @@ test_expect_success 'push all with existing object' '
 	compare_refs local dup2 server dup2
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'push ref with existing object' '
+	(cd local &&
+	git branch dup master &&
+	git push origin dup
+	) &&
+	compare_refs local dup server dup
+'
+
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t9350-fast-export.sh b/t/t9350-fast-export.sh
index c8e41c1d42..9320b4f94c 100755
--- a/t/t9350-fast-export.sh
+++ b/t/t9350-fast-export.sh
@@ -484,4 +484,19 @@ test_expect_success 'avoid uninteresting refs' '
 	test_cmp expected actual
 '
 
+cat > expected << EOF
+reset refs/heads/master
+from :14
+
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success 'refs are updated even if no commits need to be exported' '
+	> tmp-marks &&
+	git fast-export --import-marks=tmp-marks \
+		--export-marks=tmp-marks master > /dev/null &&
+	git fast-export --import-marks=tmp-marks \
+		--export-marks=tmp-marks master > actual &&
+	test_cmp expected actual
+'
+
 test_done