diff --git a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/receive/ReceiveCommits.java b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/receive/ReceiveCommits.java
index 5f6d4fd..7457534 100644
--- a/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/receive/ReceiveCommits.java
+++ b/java/com/google/gerrit/server/git/receive/ReceiveCommits.java
@@ -1428,7 +1428,6 @@
     private final ProjectState projectState;
     private final boolean defaultPublishComments;
 
-    boolean deprecatedTopicSeen;
     final ReceiveCommand cmd;
     final LabelTypes labelTypes;
     /**
@@ -1590,7 +1589,6 @@
         IdentifiedUser user, ProjectState projectState, ReceiveCommand cmd, LabelTypes labelTypes) {
       this.user = user;
       this.projectState = projectState;
-      this.deprecatedTopicSeen = false;
       this.cmd = cmd;
       this.labelTypes = labelTypes;
       GeneralPreferencesInfo prefs = user.state().generalPreferences();
@@ -1678,28 +1676,7 @@
       if (!options.isEmpty()) {
         cmdLineParser.parseOptionMap(options);
       }
-
-      // We accept refs/for/BRANCHNAME/TOPIC. Since we don't know
-      // for sure where the branch ends and the topic starts, look
-      // backward for a split that works. This behavior is deprecated.
-      String head = readHEAD(repo);
-      int split = ref.length();
-      for (; ; ) {
-        String name = ref.substring(0, split);
-        if (refCache.exactRef(name) != null || name.equals(head)) {
-          break;
-        }
-
-        split = name.lastIndexOf('/', split - 1);
-        if (split <= Constants.R_REFS.length()) {
-          return ref;
-        }
-      }
-      if (split < ref.length()) {
-        topic = Strings.emptyToNull(ref.substring(split + 1));
-        deprecatedTopicSeen = true;
-      }
-      return ref.substring(0, split);
+      return ref;
     }
 
     public boolean shouldSetWorkInProgressOnNewChanges() {
@@ -1929,13 +1906,6 @@
         return;
       }
 
-      if (magicBranch.deprecatedTopicSeen) {
-        messages.add(
-            new ValidationMessage(
-                "WARNING: deprecated topic syntax. Use -o topic=TOPIC instead", false));
-        logger.atInfo().log("deprecated topic push seen for project %s", project.getName());
-      }
-
       if (validateConnected(magicBranch.cmd, magicBranch.dest, tip)) {
         this.magicBranch = magicBranch;
         this.resultChangeIds.setMagicPush(true);
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/AbstractPushForReview.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/AbstractPushForReview.java
index 60cf4f1..4258009 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/AbstractPushForReview.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/AbstractPushForReview.java
@@ -485,15 +485,9 @@
 
   @Test
   public void pushForMasterWithTopic() throws Exception {
-    // specify topic in ref
     String topic = "my/topic";
-    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master/" + topic);
-    r.assertOkStatus();
-    r.assertChange(Change.Status.NEW, topic);
-    r.assertMessage("deprecated topic syntax");
-
     // specify topic as option
-    r = pushTo("refs/for/master%topic=" + topic);
+    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master%topic=" + topic);
     r.assertOkStatus();
     r.assertChange(Change.Status.NEW, topic);
   }
@@ -514,14 +508,7 @@
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void pushForMasterWithTopicInRefExceedLimitFails() throws Exception {
-    String topic = Stream.generate(() -> "t").limit(2049).collect(joining());
-    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master/" + topic);
-    r.assertErrorStatus("topic length exceeds the limit (2048)");
-  }
-
-  @Test
-  public void pushForMasterWithTopicAsOptionExceedLimitFails() throws Exception {
+  public void pushForMasterWithTopicExceedLimitFails() throws Exception {
     String topic = Stream.generate(() -> "t").limit(2049).collect(joining());
     PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master%topic=" + topic);
     r.assertErrorStatus("topic length exceeds the limit (2048)");
@@ -605,16 +592,16 @@
   public void pushForMasterWithCc() throws Exception {
     // cc one user
     String topic = "my/topic";
-    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master/" + topic + "%cc=" + user.email());
+    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master%topic=" + topic + ",cc=" + user.email());
     r.assertOkStatus();
     r.assertChange(Change.Status.NEW, topic, ImmutableList.of(), ImmutableList.of(user));
 
     // cc several users
     r =
         pushTo(
-            "refs/for/master/"
+            "refs/for/master%topic="
                 + topic
-                + "%cc="
+                + ",cc="
                 + admin.email()
                 + ",cc="
                 + user.email()
@@ -632,9 +619,9 @@
     String nonExistingEmail = "non.existing@example.com";
     r =
         pushTo(
-            "refs/for/master/"
+            "refs/for/master%topic="
                 + topic
-                + "%cc="
+                + ",cc="
                 + admin.email()
                 + ",cc="
                 + nonExistingEmail
@@ -684,7 +671,7 @@
   public void pushForMasterWithReviewer() throws Exception {
     // add one reviewer
     String topic = "my/topic";
-    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master/" + topic + "%r=" + user.email());
+    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master%topic=" + topic + ",r=" + user.email());
     r.assertOkStatus();
     r.assertChange(Change.Status.NEW, topic, user);
 
@@ -693,9 +680,9 @@
         accountCreator.create("another-user", "another.user@example.com", "Another User");
     r =
         pushTo(
-            "refs/for/master/"
+            "refs/for/master%topic="
                 + topic
-                + "%r="
+                + ",r="
                 + admin.email()
                 + ",r="
                 + user.email()
@@ -709,9 +696,9 @@
     String nonExistingEmail = "non.existing@example.com";
     r =
         pushTo(
-            "refs/for/master/"
+            "refs/for/master%topic="
                 + topic
-                + "%r="
+                + ",r="
                 + admin.email()
                 + ",r="
                 + nonExistingEmail
@@ -942,7 +929,7 @@
 
   @Test
   public void pushForMasterWithMessage() throws Exception {
-    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master/%m=my_test_message");
+    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master%m=my_test_message");
     r.assertOkStatus();
     r.assertChange(Change.Status.NEW, null);
     ChangeInfo ci = get(r.getChangeId(), MESSAGES, ALL_REVISIONS);
@@ -966,7 +953,7 @@
         pushFactory.create(admin.newIdent(), testRepo, PushOneCommit.SUBJECT, "a.txt", "content");
     // %2C is comma; the value below tests that percent decoding happens after splitting.
     // All three ways of representing space ("%20", "+", and "_" are also exercised.
-    PushOneCommit.Result r = push.to("refs/for/master/%m=my_test%20+_message%2Cm=");
+    PushOneCommit.Result r = push.to("refs/for/master%m=my_test%20+_message%2Cm=");
     r.assertOkStatus();
 
     push =
@@ -977,7 +964,7 @@
             "b.txt",
             "anotherContent",
             r.getChangeId());
-    r = push.to("refs/for/master/%m=new_test_message");
+    r = push.to("refs/for/master%m=new_test_message");
     r.assertOkStatus();
 
     ChangeInfo ci = get(r.getChangeId(), ALL_REVISIONS);
@@ -997,7 +984,7 @@
     // Exercise percent-encoding of UTF-8, underscores, and patterns reserved by git-rev-parse.
     PushOneCommit.Result r =
         pushTo(
-            "refs/for/master/%m="
+            "refs/for/master%m="
                 + "Punctu%2E%2e%2Eation%7E%2D%40%7Bu%7D%20%7C%20%28%E2%95%AF%C2%B0%E2%96%A1%C2%B0"
                 + "%EF%BC%89%E2%95%AF%EF%B8%B5%20%E2%94%BB%E2%94%81%E2%94%BB%20%5E%5F%5E");
     r.assertOkStatus();
@@ -1018,7 +1005,7 @@
 
   @Test
   public void pushForMasterWithInvalidPercentEncodedMessage() throws Exception {
-    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master/%m=not_percent_decodable_%%oops%20");
+    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master%m=not_percent_decodable_%%oops%20");
     r.assertOkStatus();
     r.assertChange(Change.Status.NEW, null);
     ChangeInfo ci = get(r.getChangeId(), MESSAGES, ALL_REVISIONS);
@@ -1036,7 +1023,7 @@
 
   @Test
   public void pushForMasterWithApprovals() throws Exception {
-    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master/%l=Code-Review");
+    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master%l=Code-Review");
     r.assertOkStatus();
     ChangeInfo ci = get(r.getChangeId(), DETAILED_LABELS, MESSAGES, DETAILED_ACCOUNTS);
     LabelInfo cr = ci.labels.get("Code-Review");
@@ -1054,7 +1041,7 @@
             "b.txt",
             "anotherContent",
             r.getChangeId());
-    r = push.to("refs/for/master/%l=Code-Review+2");
+    r = push.to("refs/for/master%l=Code-Review+2");
 
     ci = get(r.getChangeId(), DETAILED_LABELS, MESSAGES, DETAILED_ACCOUNTS);
     cr = ci.labels.get("Code-Review");
@@ -1075,7 +1062,7 @@
             "c.txt",
             "moreContent",
             r.getChangeId());
-    r = push.to("refs/for/master/%l=Code-Review+2");
+    r = push.to("refs/for/master%l=Code-Review+2");
     ci = get(r.getChangeId(), MESSAGES);
     assertThat(Iterables.getLast(ci.messages).message).isEqualTo("Uploaded patch set 3.");
   }
@@ -1093,7 +1080,7 @@
             "b.txt",
             "anotherContent",
             r.getChangeId());
-    r = push.to("refs/for/master/%l=Code-Review+2");
+    r = push.to("refs/for/master%l=Code-Review+2");
 
     ChangeInfo ci = get(r.getChangeId(), DETAILED_LABELS, MESSAGES, DETAILED_ACCOUNTS);
     LabelInfo cr = ci.labels.get("Code-Review");
@@ -1180,7 +1167,7 @@
             .create();
 
     // Push this commit as "Administrator" (requires Forge Committer Identity)
-    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master/%l=Code-Review+1", false);
+    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master%l=Code-Review+1", false);
 
     // Expected Code-Review votes:
     // 1. 0 from User (committer):
@@ -1228,7 +1215,7 @@
             .message(PushOneCommit.SUBJECT)
             .create();
 
-    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master/%l=Code-Review+1,l=Custom-Label-1", false);
+    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master%l=Code-Review+1,l=Custom-Label-1", false);
 
     ChangeInfo ci = get(GitUtil.getChangeId(testRepo, c).get(), DETAILED_LABELS, DETAILED_ACCOUNTS);
     LabelInfo cr = ci.labels.get("Code-Review");
@@ -1258,13 +1245,13 @@
 
   @Test
   public void pushForMasterWithApprovals_MissingLabel() throws Exception {
-    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master/%l=Verify");
+    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master%l=Verify");
     r.assertErrorStatus("label \"Verify\" is not a configured label");
   }
 
   @Test
   public void pushForMasterWithApprovals_ValueOutOfRange() throws Exception {
-    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master/%l=Code-Review-3");
+    PushOneCommit.Result r = pushTo("refs/for/master%l=Code-Review-3");
     r.assertErrorStatus("label \"Code-Review\": -3 is not a valid value");
   }
 
@@ -1297,7 +1284,7 @@
             "b.txt",
             "anotherContent",
             r.getChangeId());
-    r = push.to("refs/for/master/%hashtag=" + hashtag2);
+    r = push.to("refs/for/master%hashtag=" + hashtag2);
     r.assertOkStatus();
     expected = ImmutableSet.of(hashtag1, hashtag2);
     hashtags = gApi.changes().id(r.getChangeId()).getHashtags();
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/AbstractSubmoduleSubscription.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/AbstractSubmoduleSubscription.java
index 01323a0..a0725c3 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/AbstractSubmoduleSubscription.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/AbstractSubmoduleSubscription.java
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@
 
     String pushedRef = ref;
     if (!topic.isEmpty()) {
-      pushedRef += "/" + name(topic);
+      pushedRef += "%topic=" + name(topic);
     }
     String refspec = "HEAD:" + pushedRef;
 
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/SubmoduleSubscriptionsIT.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/SubmoduleSubscriptionsIT.java
index 329723b7..0efc4f9 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/SubmoduleSubscriptionsIT.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/SubmoduleSubscriptionsIT.java
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@
     // Create change as user.
     PushOneCommit push =
         pushFactory.create(user.newIdent(), repo2, "Change 2", "b.txt", "other content");
-    PushOneCommit.Result pushResult2 = push.to("refs/for/master/" + name(topic));
+    PushOneCommit.Result pushResult2 = push.to("refs/for/master%topic=" + name(topic));
     approve(pushResult2.getChangeId());
 
     // Submit the topic, 2 changes with the different author.
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/SubmoduleSubscriptionsWholeTopicMergeIT.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/SubmoduleSubscriptionsWholeTopicMergeIT.java
index 283c95f..0715b7e 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/SubmoduleSubscriptionsWholeTopicMergeIT.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/git/SubmoduleSubscriptionsWholeTopicMergeIT.java
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@
         .git()
         .push()
         .setRemote("origin")
-        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("HEAD:refs/for/master/" + name("topic-foo")))
+        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("HEAD:refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic-foo")))
         .call();
 
     subRepo.reset(c.getId());
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@
         .git()
         .push()
         .setRemote("origin")
-        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("HEAD:refs/for/master/" + name("topic-foo")))
+        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("HEAD:refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic-foo")))
         .call();
 
     String id1 = getChangeId(subRepo, c1).get();
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@
         .git()
         .push()
         .setRemote("origin")
-        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("HEAD:refs/for/master/" + name("topic-foo")))
+        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("HEAD:refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic-foo")))
         .call();
 
     subRepo.reset(c.getId());
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@
         .git()
         .push()
         .setRemote("origin")
-        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("HEAD:refs/for/master/" + name("topic-foo")))
+        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("HEAD:refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic-foo")))
         .call();
 
     RevCommit c4 =
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@
         .git()
         .push()
         .setRemote("origin")
-        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("HEAD:refs/for/master/" + name("topic-foo")))
+        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("HEAD:refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic-foo")))
         .call();
 
     String id1 = getChangeId(subRepo, c1).get();
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/AbstractSubmit.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/AbstractSubmit.java
index eff98b3..0c0a8ed 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/AbstractSubmit.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/AbstractSubmit.java
@@ -614,11 +614,11 @@
   @Test
   public void submitWithHiddenBranchInSameTopic() throws Throwable {
     assume().that(isSubmitWholeTopicEnabled()).isTrue();
-    PushOneCommit.Result visible = createChange("refs/for/master/" + name("topic"));
+    PushOneCommit.Result visible = createChange("refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic"));
     Change.Id num = visible.getChange().getId();
 
     createBranch(BranchNameKey.create(project, "hidden"));
-    PushOneCommit.Result hidden = createChange("refs/for/hidden/" + name("topic"));
+    PushOneCommit.Result hidden = createChange("refs/for/hidden%topic=" + name("topic"));
     approve(hidden.getChangeId());
     projectOperations
         .project(project)
@@ -789,8 +789,8 @@
 
     // create and submit 2 changes with the same topic
     String topic = name("topic");
-    PushOneCommit.Result change1 = createChange("refs/for/master/" + topic);
-    PushOneCommit.Result change2 = createChange("refs/for/master/" + topic);
+    PushOneCommit.Result change1 = createChange("refs/for/master%topic=" + topic);
+    PushOneCommit.Result change2 = createChange("refs/for/master%topic=" + topic);
     approve(change1.getChangeId());
     submit(change2.getChangeId());
     assertMerged(change1.getChangeId());
@@ -938,7 +938,7 @@
     testRepo
         .git()
         .push()
-        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("refs/heads/stable:refs/for/stable/" + name("topic")))
+        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("refs/heads/stable:refs/for/stable%topic=" + name("topic")))
         .call();
 
     // Merge the fix into master.
@@ -955,7 +955,7 @@
     testRepo
         .git()
         .push()
-        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("refs/heads/master:refs/for/master/" + name("topic")))
+        .setRefSpecs(new RefSpec("refs/heads/master:refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic")))
         .call();
 
     // Submit together.
@@ -1475,6 +1475,6 @@
   protected PushOneCommit.Result createChange(
       String subject, String fileName, String content, String topic) throws Throwable {
     PushOneCommit push = pushFactory.create(admin.newIdent(), testRepo, subject, fileName, content);
-    return push.to("refs/for/master/" + name(topic));
+    return push.to("refs/for/master%topic=" + name(topic));
   }
 }
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/AbstractSubmitByMerge.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/AbstractSubmitByMerge.java
index a4fa84b..f77552d 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/AbstractSubmitByMerge.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/AbstractSubmitByMerge.java
@@ -102,11 +102,11 @@
     PushOneCommit.Result change1 =
         pushFactory
             .create(admin.newIdent(), testRepo, "Change 1", "a", "a")
-            .to("refs/for/master/" + name("topic"));
+            .to("refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic"));
 
     PushOneCommit push2 = pushFactory.create(admin.newIdent(), testRepo, "Change 2", "b", "b");
     push2.noParents();
-    PushOneCommit.Result change2 = push2.to("refs/for/master/" + name("topic"));
+    PushOneCommit.Result change2 = push2.to("refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic"));
     change2.assertOkStatus();
 
     approve(change1.getChangeId());
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/SubmitResolvingMergeCommitIT.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/SubmitResolvingMergeCommitIT.java
index 73f10e5..a63d60a 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/SubmitResolvingMergeCommitIT.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/rest/change/SubmitResolvingMergeCommitIT.java
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@
             "new.txt",
             "Conflicting line #2",
             ImmutableList.of(f.getCommit()),
-            "refs/for/master/" + name("topic1"));
+            "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic1"));
 
     PushOneCommit.Result h = createChange(project2, "H");
     PushOneCommit.Result i =
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@
             "new.txt",
             "Sadly conflicting topic-wise",
             ImmutableList.of(i.getCommit(), j.getCommit()),
-            "refs/for/master/" + name("topic1"));
+            "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic1"));
 
     approve(h.getChangeId());
     approve(i.getChangeId());
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@
             "new.txt",
             "Resolving conflicts again",
             ImmutableList.of(c.getCommit(), g.getCommit()),
-            "refs/for/master/" + name("topic1"));
+            "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic1"));
 
     approve(l.getChangeId());
     assertChangeSetMergeable(l.getChange(), true);
diff --git a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/server/change/SubmittedTogetherIT.java b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/server/change/SubmittedTogetherIT.java
index 445f787..a97fb49 100644
--- a/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/server/change/SubmittedTogetherIT.java
+++ b/javatests/com/google/gerrit/acceptance/server/change/SubmittedTogetherIT.java
@@ -117,12 +117,12 @@
     // Create two independent commits and push.
     RevCommit c1_1 = commitBuilder().add("a.txt", "1").message("subject: 1").create();
     String id1 = getChangeId(c1_1);
-    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master/" + name("connectingTopic"), false);
+    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("connectingTopic"), false);
 
     testRepo.reset(initialHead);
     RevCommit c2_1 = commitBuilder().add("b.txt", "2").message("subject: 2").create();
     String id2 = getChangeId(c2_1);
-    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master/" + name("connectingTopic"), false);
+    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("connectingTopic"), false);
 
     if (isSubmitWholeTopicEnabled()) {
       assertSubmittedTogether(id1, id2, id1);
@@ -137,12 +137,12 @@
   public void anonymousWholeTopic() throws Exception {
     RevCommit initialHead = projectOperations.project(project).getHead("master");
     RevCommit a = commitBuilder().add("a", "1").message("change 1").create();
-    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master/" + name("topic"), false);
+    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic"), false);
     String id1 = getChangeId(a);
 
     testRepo.reset(initialHead);
     RevCommit b = commitBuilder().add("b", "1").message("change 2").create();
-    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master/" + name("topic"), false);
+    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("topic"), false);
     String id2 = getChangeId(b);
 
     requestScopeOperations.setApiUserAnonymous();
@@ -161,16 +161,16 @@
 
     RevCommit c1_1 = commitBuilder().add("a.txt", "1").message("subject: 1").create();
     String id1 = getChangeId(c1_1);
-    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master/" + name("connectingTopic"), false);
+    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("connectingTopic"), false);
 
     testRepo.reset(initialHead);
     RevCommit c2_1 = commitBuilder().add("b.txt", "2").message("subject: 2").create();
     String id2 = getChangeId(c2_1);
-    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master/" + name("connectingTopic"), false);
+    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("connectingTopic"), false);
 
     RevCommit c3_1 = commitBuilder().add("b.txt", "3").message("subject: 3").create();
     String id3 = getChangeId(c3_1);
-    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master/" + name("unrelated-topic"), false);
+    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("unrelated-topic"), false);
 
     if (isSubmitWholeTopicEnabled()) {
       assertSubmittedTogether(id1, id2, id1);
@@ -189,16 +189,16 @@
 
     RevCommit c1_1 = commitBuilder().add("a.txt", "1").message("subject: 1").create();
     String id1 = getChangeId(c1_1);
-    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master/" + name("connectingTopic"), false);
+    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("connectingTopic"), false);
 
     testRepo.reset(initialHead);
     RevCommit c2_1 = commitBuilder().add("b.txt", "2").message("subject: 2").create();
     String id2 = getChangeId(c2_1);
-    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master/" + name("otherConnectingTopic"), false);
+    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("otherConnectingTopic"), false);
 
     RevCommit c3_1 = commitBuilder().add("b.txt", "3").message("subject: 3").create();
     String id3 = getChangeId(c3_1);
-    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master/" + name("connectingTopic"), false);
+    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("connectingTopic"), false);
 
     RevCommit c4_1 = commitBuilder().add("b.txt", "4").message("subject: 4").create();
     String id4 = getChangeId(c4_1);
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@
 
     RevCommit c6_1 = commitBuilder().add("c.txt", "6").message("subject: 6").create();
     String id6 = getChangeId(c6_1);
-    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master/" + name("otherConnectingTopic"), false);
+    pushHead(testRepo, "refs/for/master%topic=" + name("otherConnectingTopic"), false);
 
     if (isSubmitWholeTopicEnabled()) {
       assertSubmittedTogether(id1, id6, id5, id3, id2, id1);