diff --git a/remote.c b/remote.c
index 91e3b11..ff2c802 100644
--- a/remote.c
+++ b/remote.c
@@ -867,8 +867,7 @@
 
 static int match_explicit(struct ref *src, struct ref *dst,
 			  struct ref ***dst_tail,
-			  struct refspec *rs,
-			  int errs)
+			  struct refspec *rs)
 {
 	struct ref *matched_src, *matched_dst;
 
@@ -876,7 +875,7 @@
 	char *dst_guess;
 
 	if (rs->pattern || rs->matching)
-		return errs;
+		return 0;
 
 	matched_src = matched_dst = NULL;
 	switch (count_refspec_match(rs->src, src, &matched_src)) {
@@ -889,23 +888,16 @@
 		 */
 		matched_src = try_explicit_object_name(rs->src);
 		if (!matched_src)
-			error("src refspec %s does not match any.", rs->src);
+			return error("src refspec %s does not match any.", rs->src);
 		break;
 	default:
-		matched_src = NULL;
-		error("src refspec %s matches more than one.", rs->src);
-		break;
+		return error("src refspec %s matches more than one.", rs->src);
 	}
 
-	if (!matched_src)
-		errs = 1;
-
 	if (!dst_value) {
 		unsigned char sha1[20];
 		int flag;
 
-		if (!matched_src)
-			return errs;
 		dst_value = resolve_ref(matched_src->name, sha1, 1, &flag);
 		if (!dst_value ||
 		    ((flag & REF_ISSYMREF) &&
@@ -936,18 +928,16 @@
 		      dst_value);
 		break;
 	}
-	if (errs || !matched_dst)
-		return 1;
-	if (matched_dst->peer_ref) {
-		errs = 1;
-		error("dst ref %s receives from more than one src.",
+	if (!matched_dst)
+		return -1;
+	if (matched_dst->peer_ref)
+		return error("dst ref %s receives from more than one src.",
 		      matched_dst->name);
-	}
 	else {
 		matched_dst->peer_ref = matched_src;
 		matched_dst->force = rs->force;
 	}
-	return errs;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int match_explicit_refs(struct ref *src, struct ref *dst,
@@ -956,8 +946,8 @@
 {
 	int i, errs;
 	for (i = errs = 0; i < rs_nr; i++)
-		errs |= match_explicit(src, dst, dst_tail, &rs[i], errs);
-	return -errs;
+		errs += match_explicit(src, dst, dst_tail, &rs[i]);
+	return errs;
 }
 
 static const struct refspec *check_pattern_match(const struct refspec *rs,
diff --git a/t/t5510-fetch.sh b/t/t5510-fetch.sh
index 6946557..df7750f 100755
--- a/t/t5510-fetch.sh
+++ b/t/t5510-fetch.sh
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@
 		echo "Pull: refs/heads/one:refs/heads/one"
 	} >.git/remotes/two &&
 	cd .. &&
-	git clone . bundle
+	git clone . bundle &&
+	git clone . seven
 '
 
 test_expect_success "fetch test" '
@@ -295,4 +296,11 @@
 	)
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'pushing nonexistent branch by mistake should not segv' '
+
+	cd "$D" &&
+	test_must_fail git push seven no:no
+
+'
+
 test_done