diff --git a/Documentation/RelNotes-1.6.0.4.txt b/Documentation/RelNotes-1.6.0.4.txt
index db1002e8c7..fba3f30a89 100644
--- a/Documentation/RelNotes-1.6.0.4.txt
+++ b/Documentation/RelNotes-1.6.0.4.txt
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ Fixes since v1.6.0.3
 * 'git push --mirror' tried and failed to push the stash; there is no
   point in sending it to begin with.
 
+* 'git push' did not update the remote tracking reference if the corresponding
+  ref on the remote end happened to be already up to date.
+
 * 'git pull $there $branch:$current_branch' did not work when you were on
   a branch yet to be born.
 
@@ -29,12 +32,8 @@ Fixes since v1.6.0.3
 
 * 'git svn' used deprecated 'git-foo' form of subcommand invocaition.
 
+* 'git update-ref -d' to remove a reference did not honor --no-deref option.
+
 * Plugged small memleaks here and there.
 
 * Also contains many documentation updates.
-
---
-exec >/var/tmp/1
-O=v1.6.0.3-34-gf6276b7
-echo O=$(git describe maint)
-git shortlog --no-merges $O..maint
diff --git a/builtin-send-pack.c b/builtin-send-pack.c
index 298bd71924..a9fdbf9d45 100644
--- a/builtin-send-pack.c
+++ b/builtin-send-pack.c
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ static void update_tracking_ref(struct remote *remote, struct ref *ref)
 {
 	struct refspec rs;
 
-	if (ref->status != REF_STATUS_OK)
+	if (ref->status != REF_STATUS_OK && ref->status != REF_STATUS_UPTODATE)
 		return;
 
 	rs.src = ref->name;
@@ -435,24 +435,19 @@ static int do_send_pack(int in, int out, struct remote *remote, const char *dest
 	 */
 	new_refs = 0;
 	for (ref = remote_refs; ref; ref = ref->next) {
-		const unsigned char *new_sha1;
 
-		if (!ref->peer_ref) {
-			if (!args.send_mirror)
-				continue;
-			new_sha1 = null_sha1;
-		}
-		else
-			new_sha1 = ref->peer_ref->new_sha1;
+		if (ref->peer_ref)
+			hashcpy(ref->new_sha1, ref->peer_ref->new_sha1);
+		else if (!args.send_mirror)
+			continue;
 
-
-		ref->deletion = is_null_sha1(new_sha1);
+		ref->deletion = is_null_sha1(ref->new_sha1);
 		if (ref->deletion && !allow_deleting_refs) {
 			ref->status = REF_STATUS_REJECT_NODELETE;
 			continue;
 		}
 		if (!ref->deletion &&
-		    !hashcmp(ref->old_sha1, new_sha1)) {
+		    !hashcmp(ref->old_sha1, ref->new_sha1)) {
 			ref->status = REF_STATUS_UPTODATE;
 			continue;
 		}
@@ -480,14 +475,13 @@ static int do_send_pack(int in, int out, struct remote *remote, const char *dest
 		    !ref->deletion &&
 		    !is_null_sha1(ref->old_sha1) &&
 		    (!has_sha1_file(ref->old_sha1)
-		      || !ref_newer(new_sha1, ref->old_sha1));
+		      || !ref_newer(ref->new_sha1, ref->old_sha1));
 
 		if (ref->nonfastforward && !ref->force && !args.force_update) {
 			ref->status = REF_STATUS_REJECT_NONFASTFORWARD;
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		hashcpy(ref->new_sha1, new_sha1);
 		if (!ref->deletion)
 			new_refs++;
 
diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 9ae447b10b..42bde72ddb 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -795,10 +795,10 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_sha1_basic(const char *ref, const unsigned char
 	char *ref_file;
 	const char *orig_ref = ref;
 	struct ref_lock *lock;
-	struct stat st;
 	int last_errno = 0;
 	int type, lflags;
 	int mustexist = (old_sha1 && !is_null_sha1(old_sha1));
+	int missing = 0;
 
 	lock = xcalloc(1, sizeof(struct ref_lock));
 	lock->lock_fd = -1;
@@ -826,12 +826,13 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_sha1_basic(const char *ref, const unsigned char
 			orig_ref, strerror(errno));
 		goto error_return;
 	}
+	missing = is_null_sha1(lock->old_sha1);
 	/* When the ref did not exist and we are creating it,
 	 * make sure there is no existing ref that is packed
 	 * whose name begins with our refname, nor a ref whose
 	 * name is a proper prefix of our refname.
 	 */
-	if (is_null_sha1(lock->old_sha1) &&
+	if (missing &&
             !is_refname_available(ref, NULL, get_packed_refs(), 0))
 		goto error_return;
 
@@ -845,7 +846,7 @@ static struct ref_lock *lock_ref_sha1_basic(const char *ref, const unsigned char
 	lock->ref_name = xstrdup(ref);
 	lock->orig_ref_name = xstrdup(orig_ref);
 	ref_file = git_path("%s", ref);
-	if (lstat(ref_file, &st) && errno == ENOENT)
+	if (missing)
 		lock->force_write = 1;
 	if ((flags & REF_NODEREF) && (type & REF_ISSYMREF))
 		lock->force_write = 1;
diff --git a/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh b/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
index 087ef75061..413019acaf 100755
--- a/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
+++ b/t/t3210-pack-refs.sh
@@ -96,6 +96,13 @@ test_expect_success \
      git branch -d n/o/p &&
      git branch n'
 
+test_expect_success \
+	'see if up-to-date packed refs are preserved' \
+	'git branch q &&
+	 git pack-refs --all --prune &&
+	 git update-ref refs/heads/q refs/heads/q &&
+	 ! test -f .git/refs/heads/q'
+
 test_expect_success 'pack, prune and repack' '
 	git tag foo &&
 	git pack-refs --all --prune &&
diff --git a/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh b/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh
index f0030ad00e..598664ce7f 100755
--- a/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh
+++ b/t/t5516-fetch-push.sh
@@ -437,6 +437,37 @@ test_expect_success 'push updates local refs' '
 
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'push updates up-to-date local refs' '
+
+	rm -rf parent child &&
+	mkdir parent &&
+	(cd parent && git init &&
+		echo one >foo && git add foo && git commit -m one) &&
+	git clone parent child1 &&
+	git clone parent child2 &&
+	(cd child1 &&
+		echo two >foo && git commit -a -m two &&
+		git push) &&
+	(cd child2 &&
+		git pull ../child1 master &&
+		git push &&
+	test $(git rev-parse master) = $(git rev-parse remotes/origin/master))
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'push preserves up-to-date packed refs' '
+
+	rm -rf parent child &&
+	mkdir parent &&
+	(cd parent && git init &&
+		echo one >foo && git add foo && git commit -m one) &&
+	git clone parent child &&
+	(cd child &&
+		git push &&
+	! test -f .git/refs/remotes/origin/master)
+
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'push does not update local refs on failure' '
 
 	rm -rf parent child &&