diff --git a/gitk-git/gitk b/gitk-git/gitk
index a2c589f749..e78459feda 100644
--- a/gitk-git/gitk
+++ b/gitk-git/gitk
@@ -10887,6 +10887,7 @@ makewindow
 # wait for the window to become visible
 tkwait visibility .
 wm title . "[file tail $argv0]: [file tail [pwd]]"
+update
 readrefs
 
 if {$cmdline_files ne {} || $revtreeargs ne {} || $revtreeargscmd ne {}} {