diff --git a/PBGitRepository.h b/PBGitRepository.h
index 605ea82..8623b6a 100644
--- a/PBGitRepository.h
+++ b/PBGitRepository.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ extern NSString* PBGitRepositoryErrorDomain;
 - (NSString*) outputForArguments:(NSArray*) args;
 - (NSString*) outputForArguments:(NSArray*) args retValue:(int *)ret;
 - (NSString *)outputInWorkdirForArguments:(NSArray*) arguments;
+- (NSString *)outputInWorkdirForArguments:(NSArray*) arguments retValue:(int *)ret;
 
 - (NSString *)workingDirectory;
 
diff --git a/PBGitRepository.m b/PBGitRepository.m
index 6301628..a017b16 100644
--- a/PBGitRepository.m
+++ b/PBGitRepository.m
@@ -353,8 +353,12 @@ NSString* PBGitRepositoryErrorDomain = @"GitXErrorDomain";
 	return [PBEasyPipe outputForCommand:[PBGitBinary path] withArgs:arguments inDir: [self workingDirectory]];
 }
 
+- (NSString*) outputInWorkdirForArguments:(NSArray *)arguments retValue:(int *)ret
+{
+	return [PBEasyPipe outputForCommand:[PBGitBinary path] withArgs:arguments inDir:[self workingDirectory] retValue: ret];
+}
 
-- (NSString*) outputForArguments:(NSArray *)arguments retValue:(int *)ret;
+- (NSString*) outputForArguments:(NSArray *)arguments retValue:(int *)ret
 {
 	return [PBEasyPipe outputForCommand:[PBGitBinary path] withArgs:arguments inDir: self.fileURL.path retValue: ret];
 }
diff --git a/PBRefController.m b/PBRefController.m
index 4bf1ce4..d075dfb 100644
--- a/PBRefController.m
+++ b/PBRefController.m
@@ -30,6 +30,21 @@
 	[commitController rearrangeObjects];
 }
 
+- (void) checkoutRef:(PBRefMenuItem *)sender
+{
+	int ret = 1;
+	[historyController.repository outputInWorkdirForArguments:[NSArray arrayWithObjects:@"checkout", [[sender ref] shortName], nil] retValue: &ret];
+	if (ret) {
+		[[NSAlert alertWithMessageText:@"Checking out branch failed"
+						 defaultButton:@"OK"
+					   alternateButton:nil
+						   otherButton:nil
+			 informativeTextWithFormat:@"There was an error checking out the branch. Perhaps your working directory is not clean?"] runModal];
+		return;
+	}
+	[historyController.repository reloadRefs];
+}
+
 - (NSArray *) menuItemsForRef:(PBGitRef *)ref commit:(PBGitCommit *)commit
 {
 	return [PBRefMenuItem defaultMenuItemsForRef:ref commit:commit target:self];
diff --git a/PBRefMenuItem.m b/PBRefMenuItem.m
index bc70d16..ab378c8 100644
--- a/PBRefMenuItem.m
+++ b/PBRefMenuItem.m
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@
 	[array addObject:[[PBRefMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:[@"Delete " stringByAppendingString:type]
 												   action:@selector(removeRef:)
 											keyEquivalent: @""]];
-	
-	[array addObject:[[PBRefMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:[@"Checkout " stringByAppendingString:type]
-												   action:@selector(checkoutRef:)
-											keyEquivalent: @""]];
+	if ([type isEqualToString:@"branch"])
+		[array addObject:[[PBRefMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Checkout branch"
+													   action:@selector(checkoutRef:)
+												keyEquivalent: @""]];
 	
 	for (PBRefMenuItem *item in array)
 	{