diff --git a/builtin/branch.c b/builtin/branch.c
index 477442938c..58ee7a4e30 100644
--- a/builtin/branch.c
+++ b/builtin/branch.c
@@ -771,12 +771,14 @@ int cmd_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			usage_with_options(builtin_branch_usage, options);
 		if (edit_branch_description(branch_name))
 			return 1;
-	}
-	else if (rename && (argc == 1))
-		rename_branch(head, argv[0], rename > 1);
-	else if (rename && (argc == 2))
-		rename_branch(argv[0], argv[1], rename > 1);
-	else if (argc <= 2) {
+	} else if (rename) {
+		if (argc == 1)
+			rename_branch(head, argv[0], rename > 1);
+		else if (argc == 2)
+			rename_branch(argv[0], argv[1], rename > 1);
+		else
+			usage_with_options(builtin_branch_usage, options);
+	} else if (argc <= 2) {
 		if (kinds != REF_LOCAL_BRANCH)
 			die(_("-a and -r options to 'git branch' do not make sense with a branch name"));
 		create_branch(head, argv[0], (argc == 2) ? argv[1] : head,
diff --git a/builtin/receive-pack.c b/builtin/receive-pack.c
index 261b610d24..7ec68a1e80 100644
--- a/builtin/receive-pack.c
+++ b/builtin/receive-pack.c
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ static int command_singleton_iterator(void *cb_data, unsigned char sha1[20])
 	struct command **cmd_list = cb_data;
 	struct command *cmd = *cmd_list;
 
-	if (!cmd)
+	if (!cmd || is_null_sha1(cmd->new_sha1))
 		return -1; /* end of list */
 	*cmd_list = NULL; /* this returns only one */
 	hashcpy(sha1, cmd->new_sha1);
@@ -659,11 +659,16 @@ static int iterate_receive_command_list(void *cb_data, unsigned char sha1[20])
 	struct command **cmd_list = cb_data;
 	struct command *cmd = *cmd_list;
 
-	if (!cmd)
-		return -1; /* end of list */
-	*cmd_list = cmd->next;
-	hashcpy(sha1, cmd->new_sha1);
-	return 0;
+	while (cmd) {
+		if (!is_null_sha1(cmd->new_sha1)) {
+			hashcpy(sha1, cmd->new_sha1);
+			*cmd_list = cmd->next;
+			return 0;
+		}
+		cmd = cmd->next;
+	}
+	*cmd_list = NULL;
+	return -1; /* end of list */
 }
 
 static void execute_commands(struct command *commands, const char *unpacker_error)
diff --git a/t/t3200-branch.sh b/t/t3200-branch.sh
index 2f5eada0d2..bc73c2099b 100755
--- a/t/t3200-branch.sh
+++ b/t/t3200-branch.sh
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ test_expect_success \
         git branch -d l/m &&
         git branch l'
 
+test_expect_success \
+    'git branch -m dumps usage' \
+       'test_expect_code 129 git branch -m 2>err &&
+	grep "[Uu]sage: git branch" err'
+
 test_expect_success \
     'git branch -m m m/m should work' \
        'git branch -l m &&