diff --git a/builtin/fetch-pack.c b/builtin/fetch-pack.c
index 6cd734a9cb..12ba009c12 100644
--- a/builtin/fetch-pack.c
+++ b/builtin/fetch-pack.c
@@ -525,6 +525,16 @@ static void mark_recent_complete_commits(unsigned long cutoff)
 	}
 }
 
+static int non_matching_ref(struct string_list_item *item, void *unused)
+{
+	if (item->util) {
+		item->util = NULL;
+		return 0;
+	}
+	else
+		return 1;
+}
+
 static void filter_refs(struct ref **refs, struct string_list *sought)
 {
 	struct ref **return_refs;
@@ -566,7 +576,7 @@ static void filter_refs(struct ref **refs, struct string_list *sought)
 					break;
 				else if (cmp == 0) { /* definitely have it */
 					return_refs[sought_pos] = ref;
-					sought->items[sought_pos++].string[0] = '\0';
+					sought->items[sought_pos++].util = "matched";
 					break;
 				}
 				else /* might have it; keep looking */
@@ -590,6 +600,7 @@ static void filter_refs(struct ref **refs, struct string_list *sought)
 		}
 		if (return_refs != fastarray)
 			free(return_refs);
+		filter_string_list(sought, 0, non_matching_ref, NULL);
 	}
 	*refs = newlist;
 }
@@ -1040,13 +1051,9 @@ int cmd_fetch_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		 * Otherwise, 'git fetch remote no-such-ref' would
 		 * silently succeed without issuing an error.
 		 */
-		for (i = 0; i < sought.nr; i++) {
-			char *s = sought.items[i].string;
-			if (s && s[0]) {
-				error("no such remote ref %s", s);
-				ret = 1;
-			}
-		}
+		for (i = 0; i < sought.nr; i++)
+			error("no such remote ref %s", sought.items[i].string);
+		ret = 1;
 	}
 	while (ref) {
 		printf("%s %s\n",
diff --git a/fetch-pack.h b/fetch-pack.h
index a6a8a73311..cb148719bf 100644
--- a/fetch-pack.h
+++ b/fetch-pack.h
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ struct fetch_pack_args {
 		stateless_rpc:1;
 };
 
+/*
+ * sought contains the full names of remote references that should be
+ * updated from.  On return, the names that were found on the remote
+ * will have been removed from the list.  The util members of the
+ * string_list_items are used internally; they must be NULL on entry
+ * (and will be NULL on exit).
+ */
 struct ref *fetch_pack(struct fetch_pack_args *args,
 		       int fd[], struct child_process *conn,
 		       const struct ref *ref,
diff --git a/transport.c b/transport.c
index a847bf31e2..9932f402df 100644
--- a/transport.c
+++ b/transport.c
@@ -518,8 +518,7 @@ static int fetch_refs_via_pack(struct transport *transport,
 			       int nr_heads, struct ref **to_fetch)
 {
 	struct git_transport_data *data = transport->data;
-	struct string_list orig_sought = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
-	struct string_list sought = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
+	struct string_list sought = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
 	const struct ref *refs;
 	char *dest = xstrdup(transport->url);
 	struct fetch_pack_args args;
@@ -537,10 +536,8 @@ static int fetch_refs_via_pack(struct transport *transport,
 	args.no_progress = !transport->progress;
 	args.depth = data->options.depth;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < nr_heads; i++) {
-		string_list_append(&orig_sought, to_fetch[i]->name);
-		string_list_append(&sought, orig_sought.items[orig_sought.nr - 1].string);
-	}
+	for (i = 0; i < nr_heads; i++)
+		string_list_append(&sought, to_fetch[i]->name);
 
 	if (!data->got_remote_heads) {
 		connect_setup(transport, 0, 0);
@@ -561,7 +558,6 @@ static int fetch_refs_via_pack(struct transport *transport,
 	free_refs(refs_tmp);
 
 	string_list_clear(&sought, 0);
-	string_list_clear(&orig_sought, 0);
 	free(dest);
 	return (refs ? 0 : -1);
 }