diff --git a/lib/repository.js b/lib/repository.js
index 50a165bf5..aea3440f1 100644
--- a/lib/repository.js
+++ b/lib/repository.js
@@ -1128,30 +1128,22 @@ Repository.prototype.getSubmoduleNames = function(callback) {
 };
 
 /**
- * This will set the HEAD to point to the local branch and then attempt
+ * This will set the HEAD to point to the reference and then attempt
  * to update the index and working tree to match the content of the
- * latest commit on that branch
+ * latest commit on that reference
  *
  * @async
- * @param {String|Reference} branch the branch to checkout
+ * @param {Reference} reference the reference to checkout
  * @param {Object|CheckoutOptions} opts the options to use for the checkout
  */
-Repository.prototype.checkoutBranch = function(branch, opts) {
+Repository.prototype.checkoutRef = function(reference, opts) {
   var repo = this;
-  var reference;
   opts = opts || {};
 
   opts.checkoutStrategy = opts.checkoutStrategy ||
     (NodeGit.Checkout.STRATEGY.SAFE |
       NodeGit.Checkout.STRATEGY.RECREATE_MISSING);
-  return repo.getReference(branch)
-  .then(function(ref) {
-    if (!ref.isBranch()) {
-      return false;
-    }
-    reference = ref;
-    return repo.getBranchCommit(ref.name());
-  })
+  return repo.getReferenceCommit(reference.name())
   .then(function(commit) {
     return commit.getTree();
   })
@@ -1164,6 +1156,27 @@ Repository.prototype.checkoutBranch = function(branch, opts) {
   });
 };
 
+/**
+ * This will set the HEAD to point to the local branch and then attempt
+ * to update the index and working tree to match the content of the
+ * latest commit on that branch
+ *
+ * @async
+ * @param {String|Reference} branch the branch to checkout
+ * @param {Object|CheckoutOptions} opts the options to use for the checkout
+ */
+Repository.prototype.checkoutBranch = function(branch, opts) {
+  var repo = this;
+
+  return repo.getReference(branch)
+  .then(function(ref) {
+    if (!ref.isBranch()) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    return repo.checkoutRef(ref, opts);
+  });
+};
+
 var fetchheadForeach = Repository.prototype.fetchheadForeach;
 /**
  * @async