#include "refs.h"
 #include "remote.h"
 #include "commit.h"
+#include "sequencer.h"
 
 struct tracking {
        struct refspec spec;
        return 0;
 }
 
-int validate_new_branchname(const char *name, struct strbuf *ref, int force)
+int validate_new_branchname(const char *name, struct strbuf *ref,
+                           int force, int attr_only)
 {
-       const char *head;
-       unsigned char sha1[20];
-
        if (strbuf_check_branch_ref(ref, name))
                die("'%s' is not a valid branch name.", name);
 
        if (!ref_exists(ref->buf))
                return 0;
-       else if (!force)
+       else if (!force && !attr_only)
                die("A branch named '%s' already exists.", ref->buf + strlen("refs/heads/"));
 
-       head = resolve_ref("HEAD", sha1, 0, NULL);
-       if (!is_bare_repository() && head && !strcmp(head, ref->buf))
-               die("Cannot force update the current branch.");
+       if (!attr_only) {
+               const char *head;
+               unsigned char sha1[20];
 
+               head = resolve_ref("HEAD", sha1, 0, NULL);
+               if (!is_bare_repository() && head && !strcmp(head, ref->buf))
+                       die("Cannot force update the current branch.");
+       }
        return 1;
 }
 
        if (track == BRANCH_TRACK_EXPLICIT || track == BRANCH_TRACK_OVERRIDE)
                explicit_tracking = 1;
 
-       if (validate_new_branchname(name, &ref, force || track == BRANCH_TRACK_OVERRIDE)) {
+       if (validate_new_branchname(name, &ref, force,
+                                   track == BRANCH_TRACK_OVERRIDE)) {
                if (!force)
                        dont_change_ref = 1;
                else
        unlink(git_path("MERGE_MSG"));
        unlink(git_path("MERGE_MODE"));
        unlink(git_path("SQUASH_MSG"));
+       remove_sequencer_state(0);
 }