diff --git a/remote.c b/remote.c
index 35940a56028..02e698a5e05 100644
--- a/remote.c
+++ b/remote.c
@@ -1548,11 +1548,8 @@ void set_ref_status_for_push(struct ref *remote_refs, int send_mirror,
 		}
 
 		/*
-		 * Bypass the usual "must fast-forward" check but
-		 * replace it with a weaker "the old value must be
-		 * this value we observed".  If the remote ref has
-		 * moved and is now different from what we expect,
-		 * reject any push.
+		 * If the remote ref has moved and is now different
+		 * from what we expect, reject any push.
 		 *
 		 * It also is an error if the user told us to check
 		 * with the remote-tracking branch to find the value
@@ -1563,10 +1560,14 @@ void set_ref_status_for_push(struct ref *remote_refs, int send_mirror,
 			if (ref->expect_old_no_trackback ||
 			    oidcmp(&ref->old_oid, &ref->old_oid_expect))
 				reject_reason = REF_STATUS_REJECT_STALE;
+			else
+				/* If the ref isn't stale then force the update. */
+				force_ref_update = 1;
 		}
 
 		/*
-		 * The usual "must fast-forward" rules.
+		 * If the update isn't already rejected then check
+		 * the usual "must fast-forward" rules.
 		 *
 		 * Decide whether an individual refspec A:B can be
 		 * pushed.  The push will succeed if any of the
@@ -1585,7 +1586,7 @@ void set_ref_status_for_push(struct ref *remote_refs, int send_mirror,
 		 *     passing the --force argument
 		 */
 
-		else if (!ref->deletion && !is_null_oid(&ref->old_oid)) {
+		if (!reject_reason && !ref->deletion && !is_null_oid(&ref->old_oid)) {
 			if (starts_with(ref->name, "refs/tags/"))
 				reject_reason = REF_STATUS_REJECT_ALREADY_EXISTS;
 			else if (!has_object_file(&ref->old_oid))
diff --git a/t/t5533-push-cas.sh b/t/t5533-push-cas.sh
index c402d8d3d7c..c7320121ecf 100755
--- a/t/t5533-push-cas.sh
+++ b/t/t5533-push-cas.sh
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ test_expect_success 'push to update (protected)' '
 	(
 		cd dst &&
 		test_commit D &&
-		test_must_fail git push --force-with-lease=master:master origin master
+		test_must_fail git push --force-with-lease=master:master origin master 2>err &&
+		grep "stale info" err
 	) &&
 	git ls-remote . refs/heads/master >expect &&
 	git ls-remote src refs/heads/master >actual &&
@@ -37,7 +38,8 @@ test_expect_success 'push to update (protected, forced)' '
 	(
 		cd dst &&
 		test_commit D &&
-		git push --force --force-with-lease=master:master origin master
+		git push --force --force-with-lease=master:master origin master 2>err &&
+		grep "forced update" err
 	) &&
 	git ls-remote dst refs/heads/master >expect &&
 	git ls-remote src refs/heads/master >actual &&
@@ -101,7 +103,8 @@ test_expect_success 'push to update (allowed, tracking)' '
 	(
 		cd dst &&
 		test_commit D &&
-		git push --force-with-lease=master origin master
+		git push --force-with-lease=master origin master 2>err &&
+		! grep "forced update" err
 	) &&
 	git ls-remote dst refs/heads/master >expect &&
 	git ls-remote src refs/heads/master >actual &&
@@ -114,7 +117,8 @@ test_expect_success 'push to update (allowed even though no-ff)' '
 		cd dst &&
 		git reset --hard HEAD^ &&
 		test_commit D &&
-		git push --force-with-lease=master origin master
+		git push --force-with-lease=master origin master 2>err &&
+		grep "forced update" err
 	) &&
 	git ls-remote dst refs/heads/master >expect &&
 	git ls-remote src refs/heads/master >actual &&
@@ -147,7 +151,8 @@ test_expect_success 'push to delete (allowed)' '
 	setup_srcdst_basic &&
 	(
 		cd dst &&
-		git push --force-with-lease=master origin :master
+		git push --force-with-lease=master origin :master 2>err &&
+		grep deleted err
 	) &&
 	>expect &&
 	git ls-remote src refs/heads/master >actual &&