diff --git a/git-parse-remote.sh b/git-parse-remote.sh
index 5f47b18141..375a0ba59e 100644
--- a/git-parse-remote.sh
+++ b/git-parse-remote.sh
@@ -89,7 +89,13 @@ get_remote_merge_branch () {
 	    refs/heads/*) remote=${remote#refs/heads/} ;;
 	    refs/* | tags/* | remotes/* ) remote=
 	    esac
-
-	    [ -n "$remote" ] && echo "refs/remotes/$repo/$remote"
+	    [ -n "$remote" ] && case "$repo" in
+		.)
+		    echo "refs/heads/$remote"
+		    ;;
+		*)
+		    echo "refs/remotes/$repo/$remote"
+		    ;;
+	    esac
 	esac
 }
diff --git a/t/t5520-pull.sh b/t/t5520-pull.sh
index 0b489f5b12..0470a81be0 100755
--- a/t/t5520-pull.sh
+++ b/t/t5520-pull.sh
@@ -222,4 +222,11 @@ test_expect_success 'git pull --rebase does not reapply old patches' '
 	)
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'git pull --rebase against local branch' '
+	git checkout -b copy2 to-rebase-orig &&
+	git pull --rebase . to-rebase &&
+	test "conflicting modification" = "$(cat file)" &&
+	test file = "$(cat file2)"
+'
+
 test_done