diff --git a/git-rebase--interactive.sh b/git-rebase--interactive.sh
index 1d116bfae2..2ff211cbaa 100755
--- a/git-rebase--interactive.sh
+++ b/git-rebase--interactive.sh
@@ -823,8 +823,6 @@ first and then run 'git rebase --continue' again."
 
 		if test ! -z "$1"
 		then
-			output git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/heads/$1" ||
-				die "Invalid branchname: $1"
 			output git checkout "$1" ||
 				die "Could not checkout $1"
 		fi
diff --git a/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh b/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
index 19668c2c92..b0b43c6d32 100755
--- a/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
+++ b/t/t3404-rebase-interactive.sh
@@ -577,4 +577,13 @@ test_expect_success 'rebase -i can copy notes over a fixup' '
 	test_cmp expect output
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'rebase while detaching HEAD' '
+	git symbolic-ref HEAD &&
+	grandparent=$(git rev-parse HEAD~2) &&
+	test_tick &&
+	FAKE_LINES="2 1" git rebase -i HEAD~2 HEAD^0 &&
+	test $grandparent = $(git rev-parse HEAD~2) &&
+	test_must_fail git symbolic-ref HEAD
+'
+
 test_done