ret = check_symref(argv[0], 1, 0, 0);
                if (ret)
                        die("Cannot delete %s, not a symbolic ref", argv[0]);
+               if (!strcmp(argv[0], "HEAD"))
+                       die("deleting '%s' is not allowed", argv[0]);
                return delete_ref(argv[0], NULL, REF_NODEREF);
        }
 
                if (!strcmp(argv[0], "HEAD") &&
                    !starts_with(argv[1], "refs/"))
                        die("Refusing to point HEAD outside of refs/");
-               create_symref(argv[0], argv[1], msg);
+               ret = !!create_symref(argv[0], argv[1], msg);
                break;
        default:
                usage_with_options(git_symbolic_ref_usage, options);