+static void die_expecting_a_branch(const struct branch_info *branch_info)
+{
+ struct object_id oid;
+ char *to_free;
+
+ if (dwim_ref(branch_info->name, strlen(branch_info->name), &oid, &to_free) == 1) {
+ const char *ref = to_free;
+
+ if (skip_prefix(ref, "refs/tags/", &ref))
+ die(_("a branch is expected, got tag '%s'"), ref);
+ if (skip_prefix(ref, "refs/remotes/", &ref))
+ die(_("a branch is expected, got remote branch '%s'"), ref);
+ die(_("a branch is expected, got '%s'"), ref);
+ }
+ if (branch_info->commit)
+ die(_("a branch is expected, got commit '%s'"), branch_info->name);
+ /*
+ * This case should never happen because we already die() on
+ * non-commit, but just in case.
+ */
+ die(_("a branch is expected, got '%s'"), branch_info->name);
+}
+