How to fix fatal: The current branch feature has no upstream branch. To push the current branch and set the remote as upstream, use git push --set-upstream origin feature in Git

GitBEGINNERLOWUpdated Dec 6, 2025· 224 views

This error occurs when you try to push a local branch that has no tracking relationship with a remote branch. Git doesn't know where to push your changes because no upstream branch has been configured. The fix is to either set the upstream with the -u flag or configure Git to do it automatically.

Quick fix

Fixes fatal: The current branch feature has no upstream branch. To push the current branch and set the remote as upstream, use git push --set-upstream origin feature

git push -u origin <branch-name>
  1. Push and set upstream in one command
  2. Set upstream without pushing
  3. Configure Git to auto-setup upstream (permanent fix)
  4. Verify the tracking relationship
git — error
git push -u origin <branch-name>
fatal: The current branch feature has no upstream branch. To push the current branch and set the remote as upstream, use git push --set-upstream origin feature

What this error means

When you create a new branch locally and try to push it with just `git push`, Git doesn't know which remote branch to push to. Unlike branches created by `git checkout -b` from a remote-tracking branch (which inherits the tracking relationship), a purely local branch has no "upstream" configured. An **upstream branch** (also called a tracking branch) is a remote branch that your local branch is linked to. This linkage enables: 1. `git push` and `git pull` to work without specifying the remote and branch name 2. Git to show you how many commits you are ahead/behind the remote 3. `git status` to display tracking information Git intentionally requires explicit action to create remote branches because pushing to a remote is a "major action" that could affect collaborators. The designers wanted to prevent accidental remote branch creation from a simple `git push`. This error commonly appears when: - You've created a new feature branch and are pushing it for the first time - You've cloned a repo and created a local branch without setting up tracking - Your Git `push.default` is set to `simple` (the default since Git 2.0), which requires explicit upstream configuration

Typical symptoms

  • git push fails with 'fatal: The current branch X has no upstream branch'
  • The error message suggests using --set-upstream origin <branch>
  • git push works only when you specify the full remote and branch name
  • git status doesn't show 'ahead/behind' information for the branch
  • git pull says 'There is no tracking information for the current branch'
  • New feature branches fail to push on first attempt

Common causes

  1. Pushing a newly created local branch for the first time (most common)
  2. Branch created with git branch or git checkout -b without -t flag
  3. Git push.default set to 'simple' or 'upstream' which require tracking
  4. Cloned repository but created new branch without tracking a remote
  5. Remote branch was deleted but local branch still exists without tracking
  6. Working with multiple remotes and Git doesn't know which to use

How to fix "fatal: The current branch feature has no upstream branch. To push the current branch and set the remote as upstream, use git push --set-upstream origin feature"

1Push and set upstream in one command

The simplest fix is to push while setting the upstream at the same time:

bash
git push -u origin <branch-name>

Or using the long form:

bash
git push --set-upstream origin <branch-name>

The -u (or --set-upstream) flag tells Git to:
1. Push the branch to the remote
2. Set up the tracking relationship

From this point forward, you can use just git push and git pull without arguments.

Tip: Use HEAD to avoid typing the branch name:

bash
git push -u origin HEAD

This pushes the current branch to a branch of the same name on the remote.

2Set upstream without pushing

If the remote branch already exists (perhaps created by someone else), you can set the tracking relationship without pushing:

bash
git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/<branch-name>

Or the shorter form:

bash
git branch -u origin/<branch-name>

This is useful when:
- The remote branch exists but your local branch isn't tracking it
- You want to change which remote branch your local branch tracks

3Configure Git to auto-setup upstream (permanent fix)

If you want Git to automatically set up tracking whenever you push a new branch, configure push.autoSetupRemote (available in Git 2.37+):

bash
git config --global push.autoSetupRemote true

With this setting, running git push on a branch with no upstream will automatically create the remote branch and set up tracking.

Alternative: Set push.default to current:

bash
git config --global push.default current

This makes git push push to a branch of the same name on the remote, but note it doesn't set up tracking like push.autoSetupRemote does.

4Verify the tracking relationship

After setting the upstream, verify it's configured correctly:

bash
git branch -vv

This shows all local branches with their upstream branch in brackets:

bash
* feature  abc1234 [origin/feature] Your commit message
  main     def5678 [origin/main] Another commit

You can also check with:

bash
git status

Which should now show:

bash
On branch feature
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/feature'.

Advanced notes

### Understanding push.default Settings

Git's push.default configuration controls what happens when you run git push without arguments:

| Value | Behavior |
|-------|----------|
| simple | Push current branch to upstream branch with same name (default since Git 2.0) |
| current | Push current branch to branch of same name on remote |
| upstream | Push current branch to its upstream branch |
| matching | Push all matching branches (old default, before Git 2.0) |
| nothing | Don't push anything without explicit refspec |

The simple setting is safest for most workflows as it prevents accidentally pushing to the wrong branch.

### Working with Multiple Remotes

If you have multiple remotes (e.g., origin and upstream), you must specify which remote to push to:

bash
git push -u upstream feature

To see all configured remotes:

bash
git remote -v

### Git Aliases for Convenience

Add these aliases to avoid typing the full command:

bash
git config --global alias.pushup 'push -u origin HEAD'
git config --global alias.pu '!git push -u origin $(git branch --show-current)'

Then use:

bash
git pushup
# or
git pu

### Why Git Requires Explicit Upstream

The Git maintainers designed this behavior intentionally. Creating a branch on a shared remote is a significant action that:

1. Affects all collaborators who fetch from that remote
2. Could conflict with branches others are creating
3. Should be a deliberate decision, not an accident

This "friction" helps teams maintain clean remote repositories.

Frequently asked questions

What does "fatal: The current branch feature has no upstream branch. To push the" mean?
When you create a new branch locally and try to push it with just git push, Git doesn't know which remote branch to push to. Unlike branches created by git checkout -b from a remote-tracking branch (which inherits the tracking relationship), a purely local branch has no "upstream" configured. An upstream branch (also called a tracking branch) is a remote branch that your local branch is linked to.
How do I fix "fatal: The current branch feature has no upstream branch. To push the"?
This error occurs when you try to push a local branch that has no tracking relationship with a remote branch. Git doesn't know where to push your changes because no upstream branch has been configured. The fix is to either set the upstream with the -u flag or configure Git to do it automatically.
What causes "fatal: The current branch feature has no upstream branch. To push the"?
Pushing a newly created local branch for the first time (most common) Branch created with git branch or git checkout -b without -t flag Git push.default set to 'simple' or 'upstream' which require tracking
Is the "fatal: The current branch feature has no upstream branch. To push the" error serious?
It is a low-severity error — more of a blocker than a risk. The steps above resolve it.

Official resources & further reading