close(request->local_fileno);
        if (request->local_stream)
                fclose(request->local_stream);
-       if (request->url != NULL)
-               free(request->url);
+       free(request->url);
        free(request);
 }
 
        strbuf_release(&in_buffer);
 
        if (lock->token == NULL || lock->timeout <= 0) {
-               if (lock->token != NULL)
-                       free(lock->token);
-               if (lock->owner != NULL)
-                       free(lock->owner);
+               free(lock->token);
+               free(lock->owner);
                free(url);
                free(lock);
                lock = NULL;
                        prev->next = prev->next->next;
        }
 
-       if (lock->owner != NULL)
-               free(lock->owner);
+       free(lock->owner);
        free(lock->url);
        free(lock->token);
        free(lock);
        }
        free(url);
 
-       if (*symref != NULL)
-               free(*symref);
+       free(*symref);
        *symref = NULL;
        hashclr(sha1);
 
 
        /* Send delete request */
        fprintf(stderr, "Removing remote branch '%s'\n", remote_ref->name);
+       if (dry_run)
+               return 0;
        url = xmalloc(strlen(remote->url) + strlen(remote_ref->name) + 1);
        sprintf(url, "%s%s", remote->url, remote_ref->name);
        slot = get_active_slot();
 
                if (!ref->peer_ref)
                        continue;
+
+               if (is_zero_sha1(ref->peer_ref->new_sha1)) {
+                       if (delete_remote_branch(ref->name, 1) == -1) {
+                               error("Could not remove %s", ref->name);
+                               rc = -4;
+                       }
+                       new_refs++;
+                       continue;
+               }
+
                if (!hashcmp(ref->old_sha1, ref->peer_ref->new_sha1)) {
                        if (push_verbosely || 1)
                                fprintf(stderr, "'%s': up-to-date\n", ref->name);
                        }
                }
                hashcpy(ref->new_sha1, ref->peer_ref->new_sha1);
-               if (is_zero_sha1(ref->new_sha1)) {
-                       error("cannot happen anymore");
-                       rc = -3;
-                       continue;
-               }
                new_refs++;
                strcpy(old_hex, sha1_to_hex(ref->old_sha1));
                new_hex = sha1_to_hex(ref->new_sha1);
 
                /* Generate a list of objects that need to be pushed */
                pushing = 0;
-               prepare_revision_walk(&revs);
+               if (prepare_revision_walk(&revs))
+                       die("revision walk setup failed");
                mark_edges_uninteresting(revs.commits);
                objects_to_send = get_delta(&revs, ref_lock);
                finish_all_active_slots();
        }
 
  cleanup:
-       if (rewritten_url)
-               free(rewritten_url);
+       free(rewritten_url);
        if (info_ref_lock)
                unlock_remote(info_ref_lock);
        free(remote);