diff --git a/jeepyb/cmd/manage_projects.py b/jeepyb/cmd/manage_projects.py
index caa9388..4b29e56 100644
--- a/jeepyb/cmd/manage_projects.py
+++ b/jeepyb/cmd/manage_projects.py
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@
     return created
 
 
-# TODO(mordred): Inspect repo_dir:master for a description
+# TODO(mordred): Inspect repo_dir:default-branch for a description
 #                override
 def find_description_override(repo_path):
     return None
@@ -388,14 +388,15 @@
         raise ProcessACLException()
     finally:
         u.git_command(repo_path, 'reset --hard')
-        u.git_command(repo_path, 'checkout master')
+        default_branch = section.get('default-branch', 'master')
+        u.git_command(repo_path, 'checkout %s' % default_branch)
         u.git_command(repo_path, 'branch -D config')
 
 
-def create_gerrit_project(project, project_list, gerrit):
+def create_gerrit_project(project, default_branch, project_list, gerrit):
     if project not in project_list:
         try:
-            gerrit.createProject(project)
+            gerrit.createProject(project, branches=[default_branch])
             return True
         except Exception:
             log.exception(
@@ -487,6 +488,7 @@
                 description = section.get('description', None)
                 homepage = section.get('homepage', DEFAULT_HOMEPAGE)
                 upstream = section.get('upstream', None)
+                default_branch = section.get('default-branch', 'master')
                 repo_path = os.path.join(JEEPYB_CACHE_DIR, project)
 
                 # If this project doesn't want to use gerrit, exit cleanly.
@@ -514,7 +516,7 @@
                 if not project_created:
                     try:
                         project_created = create_gerrit_project(
-                            project, project_list, gerrit)
+                            project, default_branch, project_list, gerrit)
                         project_cache[project]['project-created'] = True
                     except Exception:
                         project_cache[project]['project-created'] = False
@@ -529,7 +531,7 @@
 
                     # Make Local repo
                     push_string = u.make_local_copy(
-                        repo_path, project, project_list,
+                        repo_path, project, default_branch, project_list,
                         git_opts, ssh_env, upstream, GITREVIEW_GERRIT_HOST,
                         GITREVIEW_GERRIT_PORT, project_git, GERRIT_GITID)
 
@@ -558,9 +560,10 @@
 
                         if not os.path.exists(repo_path):
                             u.make_local_copy(
-                                repo_path, project, project_list,
-                                git_opts, ssh_env, upstream, GERRIT_HOST,
-                                GERRIT_PORT, project_git, GERRIT_GITID)
+                                repo_path, project, default_branch,
+                                project_list, git_opts, ssh_env, upstream,
+                                GERRIT_HOST, GERRIT_PORT, project_git,
+                                GERRIT_GITID)
                         process_acls(
                             acl_config, project, ACL_DIR, section,
                             remote_url, repo_path, ssh_env, gerrit,
diff --git a/jeepyb/cmd/track_upstream.py b/jeepyb/cmd/track_upstream.py
index 65751b7..846dc96 100644
--- a/jeepyb/cmd/track_upstream.py
+++ b/jeepyb/cmd/track_upstream.py
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@
 
                 upstream = section.get('upstream', None)
                 upstream_prefix = section.get('upstream-prefix', None)
+                default_branch = section.get('default-branch', 'master')
                 repo_path = os.path.join(IMPORT_DIR, project)
 
                 project_git = "%s.git" % project
@@ -209,7 +210,7 @@
                 # Make Local repo
                 if not os.path.exists(repo_path):
                     u.make_local_copy(
-                        repo_path, project, project_list,
+                        repo_path, project, default_branch, project_list,
                         git_opts, ssh_env, upstream, GERRIT_HOST,
                         GERRIT_PORT, project_git, GERRIT_GITID)
                 else:
diff --git a/jeepyb/utils.py b/jeepyb/utils.py
index 8e6ab34..31510cf 100644
--- a/jeepyb/utils.py
+++ b/jeepyb/utils.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@
     return dict(GIT_SSH=name)
 
 
-def make_local_copy(repo_path, project, project_list,
+def make_local_copy(repo_path, project, default_branch, project_list,
                     git_opts, ssh_env, upstream, GERRIT_HOST, GERRIT_PORT,
                     project_git, GERRIT_GITID):
 
@@ -148,8 +148,11 @@
     # Neither gerrit has it, nor does it have an upstream,
     # just create a whole new one
     else:
+        ref_str = 'refs/heads/%s' % default_branch
         run_command("git init %s" % repo_path)
         git_command(
+            repo_path, "symbolic-ref HEAD " + ref_str)
+        git_command(
             repo_path,
             "remote add origin %(remote_url)s" % git_opts)
         with open(os.path.join(repo_path,
@@ -164,7 +167,7 @@
         cmd = ("commit -a -m'Added .gitreview' --author='%s'"
                % GERRIT_GITID)
         git_command(repo_path, cmd)
-        return "push %s HEAD:refs/heads/master"
+        return "push %s HEAD:" + ref_str
 
 
 def fsck_repo(repo_path):