diff --git a/src/tools/ecode/plugins/git/git.cpp b/src/tools/ecode/plugins/git/git.cpp
index 42b0e5c7c..d9177b9c6 100644
--- a/src/tools/ecode/plugins/git/git.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/ecode/plugins/git/git.cpp
@@ -165,11 +165,19 @@ Git::Result Git::push( const std::string& projectDir ) {
 }
 
 Git::Result Git::pushNewBranch( const std::string& branch, const std::string& projectDir ) {
-	return gitSimple(
+	auto res = gitSimple(
 		String::format(
 			"push --porcelain --recurse-submodules=check origin refs/heads/%s:refs/heads/%s",
 			branch, branch ),
 		projectDir );
+
+	if ( res.fail() )
+		return res;
+
+	gitSimple( String::format( "branch --set-upstream-to=origin/%s %s", branch, branch ),
+			   projectDir );
+
+	return res;
 }
 
 Git::CheckoutResult Git::checkout( const std::string& branch,
@@ -278,8 +286,10 @@ Git::Result Git::deleteBranch( const std::string& branch, const std::string& pro
 	return gitSimple( String::format( "branch -D %s", branch ), projectDir );
 }
 
-Git::Result Git::mergeBranch( const std::string& branch, const std::string& projectDir ) {
-	return gitSimple( String::format( "merge --no-ff %s", branch ), projectDir );
+Git::Result Git::mergeBranch( const std::string& branch, bool fastForward,
+							  const std::string& projectDir ) {
+	return gitSimple( String::format( "merge %s %s", fastForward ? "--ff" : "--no-ff", branch ),
+					  projectDir );
 }
 
 Git::Result Git::commit( const std::string& commitMsg, bool ammend, bool byPassCommitHook,
diff --git a/src/tools/ecode/plugins/git/git.hpp b/src/tools/ecode/plugins/git/git.hpp
index e76181291..7832884db 100644
--- a/src/tools/ecode/plugins/git/git.hpp
+++ b/src/tools/ecode/plugins/git/git.hpp
@@ -267,7 +267,8 @@ class Git {
 
 	Result deleteBranch( const std::string& branch, const std::string& projectDir = "" );
 
-	Result mergeBranch( const std::string& branch, const std::string& projectDir = "" );
+	Result mergeBranch( const std::string& branch, bool fastForward = false,
+						const std::string& projectDir = "" );
 
 	Result commit( const std::string& commitMsg, bool ammend, bool byPassCommitHook,
 				   const std::string& projectDir = "" );
diff --git a/src/tools/ecode/plugins/git/gitplugin.cpp b/src/tools/ecode/plugins/git/gitplugin.cpp
index 6c197f0bb..92ba9c896 100644
--- a/src/tools/ecode/plugins/git/gitplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/ecode/plugins/git/gitplugin.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ using json = nlohmann::json;
 namespace ecode {
 
 static constexpr auto DEFAULT_HIGHLIGHT_COLOR = "var(--font-highlight)"sv;
+static constexpr auto GIT_STATUS_UPDATE_TAG = String::hash( "git::status-update" );
 
 std::string GitPlugin::statusTypeToString( Git::GitStatusType type ) {
 	switch ( type ) {
@@ -91,6 +92,8 @@ GitPlugin::~GitPlugin() {
 
 	endModelStyler();
 
+	getUISceneNode()->removeActionsByTag( GIT_STATUS_UPDATE_TAG );
+
 	{ Lock l( mGitBranchMutex ); }
 	{ Lock l( mGitStatusMutex ); }
 	{ Lock l( mRepoMutex ); }
@@ -292,8 +295,7 @@ void GitPlugin::updateUI() {
 	if ( !mGit || !getUISceneNode() )
 		return;
 
-	getUISceneNode()->debounce( [this] { updateUINow(); }, mRefreshFreq,
-								String::hash( "git::status-update" ) );
+	getUISceneNode()->debounce( [this] { updateUINow(); }, mRefreshFreq, GIT_STATUS_UPDATE_TAG );
 }
 
 void GitPlugin::updateStatusBarSync() {
@@ -733,8 +735,9 @@ void GitPlugin::branchMerge( Git::Branch branch ) {
 			branch.name ) );
 
 	msgBox->on( Event::OnConfirm, [this, branch]( auto ) {
-		runAsync( [this, branch]() { return mGit->mergeBranch( branch.name, repoSelected() ); },
-				  true, true, true, true, true );
+		runAsync(
+			[this, branch]() { return mGit->mergeBranch( branch.name, false, repoSelected() ); },
+			true, true, true, true, true );
 	} );
 	msgBox->setCloseShortcut( { KEY_ESCAPE, KEYMOD_NONE } );
 	msgBox->setTitle( i18n( "git_confirm", "Confirm" ) );
@@ -902,8 +905,12 @@ void GitPlugin::commit( const std::string& repoPath ) {
 void GitPlugin::fastForwardMerge( Git::Branch branch ) {
 	runAsync(
 		[this, branch]() {
-			if ( branch.name == gitBranch() )
-				return mGit->fastForwardMerge( repoSelected() );
+			if ( branch.name == gitBranch() ) {
+				auto res = mGit->fastForwardMerge( repoSelected() );
+				if ( res.success() )
+					return res;
+				return mGit->mergeBranch( "", true, repoSelected() );
+			}
 
 			auto remoteBranch = mGit->getAllBranchesAndTags(
 				Git::RefType::Remote, "refs/remotes/" + branch.remote, repoSelected() );