diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 97a75f3c31..58be2595e5 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -2821,6 +2821,32 @@ static int delete_ref_loose(struct ref_lock *lock, int flag, struct strbuf *err)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int is_per_worktree_ref(const char *refname)
+{
+	return !strcmp(refname, "HEAD");
+}
+
+static int is_pseudoref_syntax(const char *refname)
+{
+	const char *c;
+
+	for (c = refname; *c; c++) {
+		if (!isupper(*c) && *c != '-' && *c != '_')
+			return 0;
+	}
+
+	return 1;
+}
+
+enum ref_type ref_type(const char *refname)
+{
+	if (is_per_worktree_ref(refname))
+		return REF_TYPE_PER_WORKTREE;
+	if (is_pseudoref_syntax(refname))
+		return REF_TYPE_PSEUDOREF;
+       return REF_TYPE_NORMAL;
+}
+
 int delete_ref(const char *refname, const unsigned char *sha1, unsigned int flags)
 {
 	struct ref_transaction *transaction;
diff --git a/refs.h b/refs.h
index 4f1b236568..1927bda993 100644
--- a/refs.h
+++ b/refs.h
@@ -380,6 +380,14 @@ int update_ref(const char *msg, const char *refname,
 extern int parse_hide_refs_config(const char *var, const char *value, const char *);
 extern int ref_is_hidden(const char *);
 
+enum ref_type {
+	REF_TYPE_PER_WORKTREE,
+	REF_TYPE_PSEUDOREF,
+	REF_TYPE_NORMAL,
+};
+
+enum ref_type ref_type(const char *refname);
+
 enum expire_reflog_flags {
 	EXPIRE_REFLOGS_DRY_RUN = 1 << 0,
 	EXPIRE_REFLOGS_UPDATE_REF = 1 << 1,