diff --git a/t/t5541-http-push.sh b/t/t5541-http-push.sh
index 979624d0dc..83a8e14c6c 100755
--- a/t/t5541-http-push.sh
+++ b/t/t5541-http-push.sh
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ Merge the remote changes before pushing again.  See the '"'non-fast-forward'"'
 section of '"'git push --help'"' for details." output
 '
 
-test_expect_failure 'push fails for non-fast-forward refs unmatched by remote helper' '
+test_expect_success 'push fails for non-fast-forward refs unmatched by remote helper' '
 	# create a dissimilarly-named remote ref so that git is unable to match the
 	# two refs (viz. local, remote) unless an explicit refspec is provided.
 	git push origin master:retsam
diff --git a/transport-helper.c b/transport-helper.c
index 7c9b569d94..71a1e50ee7 100644
--- a/transport-helper.c
+++ b/transport-helper.c
@@ -430,6 +430,15 @@ static int push_refs(struct transport *transport,
 			continue;
 		}
 
+		if (ref->status != REF_STATUS_NONE) {
+			/*
+			 * Earlier, the ref was marked not to be pushed, so ignore the ref
+			 * status reported by the remote helper if the latter is 'no match'.
+			 */
+			if (status == REF_STATUS_NONE)
+				continue;
+		}
+
 		ref->status = status;
 		ref->remote_status = msg;
 	}