diff --git a/Documentation/git-clone.txt b/Documentation/git-clone.txt
index 8e925db7e9..ae82f1c1c3 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-clone.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-clone.txt
@@ -215,6 +215,13 @@ objects from the source repository into a pack in the cloned repository.
 	`--branch` can also take tags and detaches the HEAD at that commit
 	in the resulting repository.

+`--ref` _<name>_::
+	This detaches HEAD and makes it point to the commit where the _<name>_
+	reference is pointing to. In a non-bare repository, this is the ref that
+	will be checked out.
+	Can be used in conjunction with `--single-branch` and `--no-tags` to
+	clone only the given ref. Cannot be combined with `--branch`.
+
 `-u` _<upload-pack>_::
 `--upload-pack` _<upload-pack>_::
 	When given, and the repository to clone from is accessed
@@ -259,7 +266,7 @@ corresponding `--mirror` and `--no-tags` options instead.

 `--`[`no-`]`single-branch`::
 	Clone only the history leading to the tip of a single branch,
-	either specified by the `--branch` option or the primary
+	either specified by the `--branch` or `--ref` option or the primary
 	branch remote's `HEAD` points at.
 	Further fetches into the resulting repository will only update the
 	remote-tracking branch for the branch this option was used for the
diff --git a/builtin/clone.c b/builtin/clone.c
index e77339c847..1081478905 100644
--- a/builtin/clone.c
+++ b/builtin/clone.c
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ static char *option_template, *option_depth, *option_since;
 static char *option_origin = NULL;
 static char *remote_name = NULL;
 static char *option_branch = NULL;
+static char *option_ref = NULL;
 static struct string_list option_not = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
 static const char *real_git_dir;
 static const char *ref_format;
@@ -141,6 +142,8 @@ static struct option builtin_clone_options[] = {
 		   N_("use <name> instead of 'origin' to track upstream")),
 	OPT_STRING('b', "branch", &option_branch, N_("branch"),
 		   N_("checkout <branch> instead of the remote's HEAD")),
+	OPT_STRING(0, "ref", &option_ref, N_("ref"),
+		   N_("checkout <ref> (detached) instead of the remote's HEAD")),
 	OPT_STRING('u', "upload-pack", &option_upload_pack, N_("path"),
 		   N_("path to git-upload-pack on the remote")),
 	OPT_STRING(0, "depth", &option_depth, N_("depth"),
@@ -531,32 +534,64 @@ static struct ref *wanted_peer_refs(const struct ref *refs,
 	if (option_single_branch) {
 		struct ref *remote_head = NULL;

-		if (!option_branch)
+		if (!option_branch && !option_ref)
 			remote_head = guess_remote_head(head, refs, 0);
 		else {
 			free_one_ref(head);
 			local_refs = head = NULL;
 			tail = &local_refs;
-			remote_head = copy_ref(find_remote_branch(refs, option_branch));
+			if (option_branch)
+				remote_head = copy_ref(find_remote_branch(refs, option_branch));
+			else
+				remote_head = copy_ref(find_ref_by_name(refs, option_ref));
 		}

 		if (!remote_head && option_branch)
 			warning(_("Could not find remote branch %s to clone."),
 				option_branch);
+		else if (!remote_head && option_ref)
+			warning(_("Could not find remote ref %s to clone."),
+				option_ref);
 		else {
 			int i;
 			for (i = 0; i < refspec->nr; i++)
 				get_fetch_map(remote_head, &refspec->items[i],
 					      &tail, 0);

-			/* if --branch=tag, pull the requested tag explicitly */
-			get_fetch_map(remote_head, &tag_refspec, &tail, 0);
+			if (option_ref) {
+				struct strbuf spec = STRBUF_INIT;
+				struct refspec_item ref_refspec;
+
+				strbuf_addf(&spec, "%s:%s", option_ref, option_ref);
+				refspec_item_init(&ref_refspec, spec.buf, 0);
+
+				get_fetch_map(remote_head, &ref_refspec, &tail, 0);
+
+				refspec_item_clear(&ref_refspec);
+				strbuf_release(&spec);
+			} else {
+				/* if --branch=tag, pull the requested tag explicitly */
+				get_fetch_map(remote_head, &tag_refspec, &tail, 0);
+			}
 		}
 		free_refs(remote_head);
 	} else {
 		int i;
 		for (i = 0; i < refspec->nr; i++)
 			get_fetch_map(refs, &refspec->items[i], &tail, 0);
+
+		if (option_ref) {
+			struct strbuf spec = STRBUF_INIT;
+			struct refspec_item ref_refspec;
+
+			strbuf_addf(&spec, "%s:%s", option_ref, option_ref);
+			refspec_item_init(&ref_refspec, spec.buf, 0);
+
+			get_fetch_map(refs, &ref_refspec, &tail, 0);
+
+			refspec_item_clear(&ref_refspec);
+			strbuf_release(&spec);
+		}
 	}

 	if (!option_mirror && !option_single_branch && !option_no_tags)
@@ -684,10 +719,15 @@ static void update_head(const struct ref *our, const struct ref *remote,
 	} else if (our) {
 		struct commit *c = lookup_commit_reference(the_repository,
 							   &our->old_oid);
-		/* --branch specifies a non-branch (i.e. tags), detach HEAD */
-		refs_update_ref(get_main_ref_store(the_repository), msg,
-				"HEAD", &c->object.oid, NULL, REF_NO_DEREF,
-				UPDATE_REFS_DIE_ON_ERR);
+		if (c)
+			/* --branch specifies a non-branch (i.e. tags), detach HEAD */
+			refs_update_ref(get_main_ref_store(the_repository), msg,
+					"HEAD", &c->object.oid, NULL, REF_NO_DEREF,
+					UPDATE_REFS_DIE_ON_ERR);
+		else
+			refs_update_ref(get_main_ref_store(the_repository), msg,
+					"HEAD", &our->old_oid, NULL, REF_NO_DEREF,
+					UPDATE_REFS_DIE_ON_ERR);
 	} else if (remote) {
 		/*
 		 * We know remote HEAD points to a non-branch, or
@@ -898,6 +938,9 @@ static void write_refspec_config(const char *src_ref_prefix,
 				else
 					strbuf_addf(&value, "+%s:%s%s", our_head_points_at->name,
 						branch_top->buf, option_branch);
+			} else if (option_ref) {
+				strbuf_addf(&value, "+%s:%s", our_head_points_at->name,
+					our_head_points_at->name);
 			} else if (remote_head_points_at) {
 				const char *head = remote_head_points_at->name;
 				if (!skip_prefix(head, "refs/heads/", &head))
@@ -1383,6 +1426,9 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc,
 	if (option_branch)
 		expand_ref_prefix(&transport_ls_refs_options.ref_prefixes,
 				  option_branch);
+	if (option_ref)
+		strvec_push(&transport_ls_refs_options.ref_prefixes,
+			    option_ref);
 	if (!option_no_tags)
 		strvec_push(&transport_ls_refs_options.ref_prefixes,
 			    "refs/tags/");
@@ -1468,6 +1514,11 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc,
 		if (!our_head_points_at)
 			die(_("Remote branch %s not found in upstream %s"),
 			    option_branch, remote_name);
+	} else if (option_ref) {
+		our_head_points_at = find_ref_by_name(mapped_refs, option_ref);
+		if (!our_head_points_at)
+			die(_("Remote ref %s not found in upstream %s"),
+			    option_ref, remote_name);
 	} else if (remote_head_points_at) {
 		our_head_points_at = remote_head_points_at;
 	} else if (remote_head) {
diff --git a/t/t5612-clone-refspec.sh b/t/t5612-clone-refspec.sh
index 72762de977..bbdf66b7cb 100755
--- a/t/t5612-clone-refspec.sh
+++ b/t/t5612-clone-refspec.sh
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ test_expect_success 'setup' '
 	git tag two &&
 	echo three >file &&
 	git commit -a -m three &&
+	git update-ref refs/some/three HEAD &&
 	git checkout -b side &&
 	echo four >file &&
 	git commit -a -m four &&
@@ -236,4 +237,38 @@ test_expect_success '--single-branch with detached' '
 	test_must_be_empty actual
 '

+test_expect_success 'with --ref' '
+	git clone --ref=refs/some/three . dir_ref &&
+	git -C dir_ref for-each-ref refs > refs &&
+	sed -e "/HEAD$/d" \
+	    -e "s|/remotes/origin/|/heads/|" refs >actual &&
+	git for-each-ref refs >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'with --ref and --no-tags' '
+	git clone --ref=refs/some/three --no-tags . dir_ref_notags &&
+	git -C dir_ref_notags for-each-ref refs > refs &&
+	sed -e "/HEAD$/d" \
+	    -e "s|/remotes/origin/|/heads/|" refs >actual &&
+	git for-each-ref refs/heads >expect &&
+	git for-each-ref refs/some >>expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success '--single-branch with --ref' '
+	git clone --single-branch --ref=refs/some/three . dir_single_ref &&
+	git -C dir_single_ref for-each-ref refs > actual &&
+	git for-each-ref refs/some >expect &&
+	git for-each-ref refs/tags >>expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success '--single-branch with --ref and --no-tags' '
+	git clone --single-branch --ref=refs/some/three --no-tags . dir_single_ref_notags &&
+	git -C dir_single_ref_notags for-each-ref refs > actual &&
+	git for-each-ref refs/some >expect &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_done
