diff --git a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh
index 879d0c169d6..58df3f3bb1a 100755
--- a/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh
+++ b/t/t7060-wtstatus.sh
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ EOF
 	git checkout master
 '
 
-test_expect_failure 'status --branch with detached HEAD' '
+test_expect_success 'status --branch with detached HEAD' '
 	git reset --hard &&
 	git checkout master^0 &&
 	git status --branch --porcelain >actual &&
diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c
index ac05b9b73d7..0e4a04e695f 100644
--- a/wt-status.c
+++ b/wt-status.c
@@ -1521,17 +1521,20 @@ static void wt_shortstatus_print_tracking(struct wt_status *s)
 		return;
 	branch_name = s->branch;
 
-	if (starts_with(branch_name, "refs/heads/"))
-		branch_name += 11;
-	else if (!strcmp(branch_name, "HEAD")) {
-		branch_name = _("HEAD (no branch)");
-		branch_color_local = color(WT_STATUS_NOBRANCH, s);
-	}
-
-	branch = branch_get(s->branch + 11);
 	if (s->is_initial)
 		color_fprintf(s->fp, header_color, _("Initial commit on "));
 
+	if (!strcmp(s->branch, "HEAD")) {
+		color_fprintf(s->fp, color(WT_STATUS_NOBRANCH, s), "%s",
+			      _("HEAD (no branch)"));
+		goto conclude;
+	}
+
+	if (starts_with(branch_name, "refs/heads/"))
+		branch_name += 11;
+
+	branch = branch_get(s->branch + 11);
+
 	color_fprintf(s->fp, branch_color_local, "%s", branch_name);
 
 	if (stat_tracking_info(branch, &num_ours, &num_theirs, &base) < 0) {