diff --git a/branch.c b/branch.c
index c0c865a4b1b..d62cc0132cb 100644
--- a/branch.c
+++ b/branch.c
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ void create_branch(const char *head,
 			 start_name);
 
 	if (real_ref && track)
-		setup_tracking(name, real_ref, track);
+		setup_tracking(ref.buf+11, real_ref, track);
 
 	if (!dont_change_ref)
 		if (write_ref_sha1(lock, sha1, msg) < 0)
diff --git a/t/t6040-tracking-info.sh b/t/t6040-tracking-info.sh
index a9b0ac1efc0..19de5b16eb5 100755
--- a/t/t6040-tracking-info.sh
+++ b/t/t6040-tracking-info.sh
@@ -110,4 +110,18 @@ test_expect_success '--set-upstream does not change branch' '
 	grep -q "^refs/heads/master$" actual &&
 	cmp expect2 actual2
 '
+
+test_expect_success '--set-upstream @{-1}' '
+	git checkout from-master &&
+	git checkout from-master2 &&
+	git config branch.from-master2.merge > expect2 &&
+	git branch --set-upstream @{-1} follower &&
+	git config branch.from-master.merge > actual &&
+	git config branch.from-master2.merge > actual2 &&
+	git branch --set-upstream from-master follower &&
+	git config branch.from-master.merge > expect &&
+	test_cmp expect2 actual2 &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_done