diff --git a/project.py b/project.py
index b61bcacb..a69407da 100644
--- a/project.py
+++ b/project.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ except ImportError:
 
 from color import Coloring
 from git_command import GitCommand
-from git_config import GitConfig, IsId, GetSchemeFromUrl
+from git_config import GitConfig, IsId, GetSchemeFromUrl, ID_RE
 from error import DownloadError
 from error import GitError, HookError, ImportError, UploadError
 from error import ManifestInvalidRevisionError
@@ -900,7 +900,7 @@ class Project(object):
 
 ## Sync ##
 
-  def Sync_NetworkHalf(self, quiet=False, is_new=None):
+  def Sync_NetworkHalf(self, quiet=False, is_new=None, current_branch_only=False):
     """Perform only the network IO portion of the sync process.
        Local working directory/branch state is not affected.
     """
@@ -926,21 +926,10 @@ class Project(object):
     if alt_dir is None and self._ApplyCloneBundle(initial=is_new, quiet=quiet):
       is_new = False
 
-    if not self._RemoteFetch(initial=is_new, quiet=quiet, alt_dir=alt_dir):
+    if not self._RemoteFetch(initial=is_new, quiet=quiet, alt_dir=alt_dir,
+                             current_branch_only=current_branch_only):
       return False
 
-    #Check that the requested ref was found after fetch
-    #
-    try:
-      self.GetRevisionId()
-    except ManifestInvalidRevisionError:
-      # if the ref is a tag. We can try fetching
-      # the tag manually as a last resort
-      #
-      rev = self.revisionExpr
-      if rev.startswith(R_TAGS):
-        self._RemoteFetch(None, rev[len(R_TAGS):], quiet=quiet)
-
     if self.worktree:
       self._InitMRef()
     else:
@@ -1335,10 +1324,30 @@ class Project(object):
 
 ## Direct Git Commands ##
 
-  def _RemoteFetch(self, name=None, tag=None,
+  def _RemoteFetch(self, name=None,
+                   current_branch_only=False,
                    initial=False,
                    quiet=False,
                    alt_dir=None):
+
+    is_sha1 = False
+    tag_name = None
+
+    if current_branch_only:
+      if ID_RE.match(self.revisionExpr) is not None:
+        is_sha1 = True
+      elif self.revisionExpr.startswith(R_TAGS):
+        # this is a tag and its sha1 value should never change
+        tag_name = self.revisionExpr[len(R_TAGS):]
+
+      if is_sha1 or tag_name is not None:
+        try:
+          self.GetRevisionId()
+          return True
+        except ManifestInvalidRevisionError:
+          # There is no such persistent revision. We have to fetch it.
+          pass
+
     if not name:
       name = self.remote.name
 
@@ -1401,9 +1410,19 @@ class Project(object):
     if not self.worktree:
       cmd.append('--update-head-ok')
     cmd.append(name)
-    if tag is not None:
+
+    if not current_branch_only or is_sha1:
+      # Fetch whole repo
+      cmd.append('--tags')
+      cmd.append((u'+refs/heads/*:') + remote.ToLocal('refs/heads/*'))
+    elif tag_name is not None:
       cmd.append('tag')
-      cmd.append(tag)
+      cmd.append(tag_name)
+    else:
+      branch = self.revisionExpr
+      if branch.startswith(R_HEADS):
+        branch = branch[len(R_HEADS):]
+      cmd.append((u'+refs/heads/%s:' % branch) + remote.ToLocal('refs/heads/%s' % branch))
 
     ok = False
     for i in range(2):
diff --git a/subcmds/sync.py b/subcmds/sync.py
index a3d06922..c5955a38 100644
--- a/subcmds/sync.py
+++ b/subcmds/sync.py
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ later is required to fix a server side protocol bug.
     p.add_option('-d','--detach',
                  dest='detach_head', action='store_true',
                  help='detach projects back to manifest revision')
+    p.add_option('-c','--current-branch',
+                 dest='current_branch_only', action='store_true',
+                 help='fetch only current branch from server')
     p.add_option('-q','--quiet',
                  dest='quiet', action='store_true',
                  help='be more quiet')
@@ -179,7 +182,8 @@ later is required to fix a server side protocol bug.
       # - We always make sure we unlock the lock if we locked it.
       try:
         try:
-          success = project.Sync_NetworkHalf(quiet=opt.quiet)
+          success = project.Sync_NetworkHalf(quiet=opt.quiet,
+                                             current_branch_only=opt.current_branch_only)
 
           # Lock around all the rest of the code, since printing, updating a set
           # and Progress.update() are not thread safe.
@@ -212,7 +216,8 @@ later is required to fix a server side protocol bug.
     if self.jobs == 1:
       for project in projects:
         pm.update()
-        if project.Sync_NetworkHalf(quiet=opt.quiet):
+        if project.Sync_NetworkHalf(quiet=opt.quiet,
+                                    current_branch_only=opt.current_branch_only):
           fetched.add(project.gitdir)
         else:
           print >>sys.stderr, 'error: Cannot fetch %s' % project.name
@@ -388,7 +393,8 @@ uncommitted changes are present' % project.relpath
       _PostRepoUpgrade(self.manifest)
 
     if not opt.local_only:
-      mp.Sync_NetworkHalf(quiet=opt.quiet)
+      mp.Sync_NetworkHalf(quiet=opt.quiet,
+                          current_branch_only=opt.current_branch_only)
 
     if mp.HasChanges:
       syncbuf = SyncBuffer(mp.config)