diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/PushOne.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/PushOne.java
index 8f61bfa..64f5152 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/PushOne.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/PushOne.java
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@
     if (pool.isCreateMissingRepos()) {
       try {
         Ref head = git.exactRef(Constants.HEAD);
-        if (replicationQueue.createProject(projectName, head != null ? head.getName() : null)) {
+        if (replicationQueue.createProject(projectName, head != null ? getName(head) : null)) {
           repLog.warn("Missing repository created; retry replication to {}", uri);
           pool.reschedule(this, Destination.RetryReason.REPOSITORY_MISSING);
         } else {
@@ -422,6 +422,14 @@
     }
   }
 
+  private String getName(Ref ref) {
+    Ref target = ref;
+    while (target.isSymbolic()) {
+      target = target.getTarget();
+    }
+    return target.getName();
+  }
+
   private void runImpl() throws IOException {
     PushResult res;
     try (Transport tn = Transport.open(git, uri)) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/ReplicationQueue.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/ReplicationQueue.java
index 0f367aa..57893d8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/ReplicationQueue.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/ReplicationQueue.java
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@
     try (Repository repo = new FileRepository(uri.getPath())) {
       repo.create(true /* bare */);
 
-      if (head != null) {
+      if (head != null && head.startsWith(Constants.R_REFS)) {
         RefUpdate u = repo.updateRef(Constants.HEAD);
         u.disableRefLog();
         u.link(head);