diff --git a/src/plugins/git/branchmodel.cpp b/src/plugins/git/branchmodel.cpp
index 17b2376a679..f4232fcbb69 100644
--- a/src/plugins/git/branchmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/git/branchmodel.cpp
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ void BranchModel::checkoutBranch(const QModelIndex &idx)
         return;
     stashGuard.preventPop();
     QString errorMessage;
-    if (m_client->synchronousCheckoutBranch(m_workingDirectory, branch, &errorMessage)) {
+    if (m_client->synchronousCheckout(m_workingDirectory, branch, &errorMessage)) {
         if (errorMessage.isEmpty()) {
             QModelIndex currentIdx = currentBranch();
             if (currentIdx.isValid()) {
diff --git a/src/plugins/git/gitclient.cpp b/src/plugins/git/gitclient.cpp
index e66c17bb93f..5281cb277a6 100644
--- a/src/plugins/git/gitclient.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/git/gitclient.cpp
@@ -778,21 +778,21 @@ void GitClient::blame(const QString &workingDirectory,
     executeGit(workingDirectory, arguments, editor, false, VcsBase::Command::NoReport, lineNumber);
 }
 
-bool GitClient::synchronousCheckoutBranch(const QString &workingDirectory,
-                                          const QString &branch,
+bool GitClient::synchronousCheckout(const QString &workingDirectory,
+                                          const QString &ref,
                                           QString *errorMessage /* = 0 */)
 {
     QByteArray outputText;
     QByteArray errorText;
     QStringList arguments;
-    arguments << QLatin1String("checkout") << branch;
+    arguments << QLatin1String("checkout") << ref;
     const bool rc = fullySynchronousGit(workingDirectory, arguments, &outputText, &errorText);
     const QString output = commandOutputFromLocal8Bit(outputText);
     outputWindow()->append(output);
     if (!rc) {
         const QString stdErr = commandOutputFromLocal8Bit(errorText);
         //: Meaning of the arguments: %1: Branch, %2: Repository, %3: Error message
-        const QString msg = tr("Cannot checkout \"%1\" of \"%2\": %3").arg(branch, workingDirectory, stdErr);
+        const QString msg = tr("Cannot checkout \"%1\" of \"%2\": %3").arg(ref, workingDirectory, stdErr);
         if (errorMessage)
             *errorMessage = msg;
         else
diff --git a/src/plugins/git/gitclient.h b/src/plugins/git/gitclient.h
index 1063bac098f..a6564bc967e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/git/gitclient.h
+++ b/src/plugins/git/gitclient.h
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ public:
                                   QString revision = QString(), QString *errorMessage = 0,
                                   bool revertStaging = true);
     // Checkout branch
-    bool synchronousCheckoutBranch(const QString &workingDirectory, const QString &branch, QString *errorMessage = 0);
+    bool synchronousCheckout(const QString &workingDirectory, const QString &ref, QString *errorMessage = 0);
 
     // Do a stash and return identier.
     enum { StashPromptDescription = 0x1, StashImmediateRestore = 0x2, StashIgnoreUnchanged = 0x4 };
diff --git a/src/plugins/git/gitversioncontrol.cpp b/src/plugins/git/gitversioncontrol.cpp
index 752c607ba77..9ffaa795704 100644
--- a/src/plugins/git/gitversioncontrol.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/git/gitversioncontrol.cpp
@@ -208,10 +208,10 @@ bool GitVersionControl::vcsRestoreSnapshot(const QString &topLevel, const QStrin
             const QString revision = tokens.at(2);
             success = m_client->synchronousReset(topLevel);
             if (success && !branch.isEmpty()) {
-                success = m_client->synchronousCheckoutBranch(topLevel, branch) &&
+                success = m_client->synchronousCheckout(topLevel, branch) &&
                         m_client->synchronousCheckoutFiles(topLevel, QStringList(), revision);
             } else {
-                success = m_client->synchronousCheckoutBranch(topLevel, revision);
+                success = m_client->synchronousCheckout(topLevel, revision);
             }
         } else {
             // Restore stash if it can be resolved.