diff --git a/src/plugins/git/gerrit/gerritpushdialog.cpp b/src/plugins/git/gerrit/gerritpushdialog.cpp
index 1c42c67b88d..88893d5bdd1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/git/gerrit/gerritpushdialog.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/git/gerrit/gerritpushdialog.cpp
@@ -150,6 +150,9 @@ GerritPushDialog::GerritPushDialog(const QString &workingDir, const QString &rev
     connect(m_ui->targetBranchComboBox, static_cast<void (QComboBox::*)(int)>(&QComboBox::currentIndexChanged),
             this, &GerritPushDialog::setChangeRange);
 
+    connect(m_ui->targetBranchComboBox, &QComboBox::currentTextChanged,
+            this, &GerritPushDialog::validate);
+
     updateCommits(m_ui->localBranchComboBox->currentIndex());
     setRemoteBranches();
 
@@ -223,8 +226,17 @@ void GerritPushDialog::setRemoteBranches(bool includeOld)
 
     const QString remoteName = selectedRemoteName();
     if (!m_remoteBranches.contains(remoteName)) {
-        foreach (const QString &branch, GitPlugin::client()->synchronousRepositoryBranches(remoteName, m_workingDir))
+        const QStringList remoteBranches =
+                GitPlugin::client()->synchronousRepositoryBranches(remoteName, m_workingDir);
+        foreach (const QString &branch, remoteBranches)
             m_remoteBranches.insertMulti(remoteName, qMakePair(branch, QDate()));
+        if (remoteBranches.isEmpty()) {
+            m_ui->targetBranchComboBox->setEditable(true);
+            m_ui->targetBranchComboBox->setToolTip(
+                        tr("No remote branches found. This is probably the initial commit."));
+            if (QLineEdit *lineEdit = m_ui->targetBranchComboBox->lineEdit())
+                lineEdit->setPlaceholderText(tr("Branch name"));
+        }
     }
 
     int i = 0;
@@ -250,8 +262,7 @@ void GerritPushDialog::setRemoteBranches(bool includeOld)
 void GerritPushDialog::updateCommits(int index)
 {
     const QString branch = m_ui->localBranchComboBox->itemText(index);
-    const bool hasLocalCommits = m_ui->commitView->init(m_workingDir, branch,
-                                                        LogChangeWidget::Silent);
+    m_hasLocalCommits = m_ui->commitView->init(m_workingDir, branch, LogChangeWidget::Silent);
 
     const QString remoteBranch = determineRemoteBranch(branch);
     if (!remoteBranch.isEmpty()) {
@@ -265,8 +276,13 @@ void GerritPushDialog::updateCommits(int index)
         else
             setRemoteBranches();
     }
+    validate();
+}
 
-    m_ui->buttonBox->button(QDialogButtonBox::Ok)->setEnabled(hasLocalCommits);
+void GerritPushDialog::validate()
+{
+    const bool valid = m_hasLocalCommits && !selectedRemoteBranchName().isEmpty();
+    m_ui->buttonBox->button(QDialogButtonBox::Ok)->setEnabled(valid);
 }
 
 QString GerritPushDialog::selectedRemoteName() const
diff --git a/src/plugins/git/gerrit/gerritpushdialog.h b/src/plugins/git/gerrit/gerritpushdialog.h
index ace926fdc55..c4ffb7da6b0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/git/gerrit/gerritpushdialog.h
+++ b/src/plugins/git/gerrit/gerritpushdialog.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ private:
     void setChangeRange();
     void setRemoteBranches(bool includeOld = false);
     void updateCommits(int index);
+    void validate();
 
     typedef QPair<QString, QDate> BranchDate;
     typedef QMultiMap<QString, BranchDate> RemoteBranchesMap;
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ private:
     Ui::GerritPushDialog *m_ui;
     RemoteBranchesMap m_remoteBranches;
     bool m_isValid = false;
+    bool m_hasLocalCommits = false;
 };