diff --git a/magit.el b/magit.el
index 1069937c..55abf37f 100644
--- a/magit.el
+++ b/magit.el
@@ -302,6 +302,9 @@ Many Magit faces inherit from this one by default."
 (defvar magit-completing-read 'completing-read
   "Function to be called when requesting input from the user.")
 
+(defvar magit-read-rev-history nil
+  "The history of inputs to `magit-read-rev'.")
+
 (defvar magit-omit-untracked-dir-contents nil
   "When non-nil magit will only list an untracked directory, not its contents.")
 
@@ -468,7 +471,7 @@ Many Magit faces inherit from this one by default."
 		  dirs))))
 
 (defun magit-get-top-dir (cwd)
-  (let ((cwd (expand-file-name cwd)))
+  (let ((cwd (expand-file-name (file-truename cwd))))
     (when (file-directory-p cwd)
       (let* ((default-directory cwd)
              (cdup (magit-git-string "rev-parse" "--show-cdup")))
@@ -587,7 +590,7 @@ return nil."
 		   (format "%s: " prompt)))
 	 (interesting-refs (magit-list-interesting-refs))
 	 (reply (funcall magit-completing-read prompt interesting-refs
-				 nil nil nil nil def))
+				 nil nil nil 'magit-read-rev-history def))
 	 (rev (or (cdr (assoc reply interesting-refs)) reply)))
     (if (string= rev "")
 	nil
@@ -4022,7 +4025,12 @@ Return values:
 
 (defun magit--branch-name-from-line (line)
   "Extract the branch name from line LINE of 'git branch' output."
-  (get-text-property 0 'branch-name line))
+  (let ((branch (get-text-property 0 'branch-name line)))
+    (if (and branch
+             (get-text-property 0 'remote line)
+             (string-match-p "^remotes/" branch))
+        (substring branch 8)
+      branch)))
 
 (defun magit--branch-name-at-point ()
   "Get the branch name in the line at point."
@@ -4081,7 +4089,8 @@ With prefix force the removal even it it hasn't been merged."
                  )
                 branch-line)
   (let ((res (list (cons 'current (match-string 1 branch-line))
-                   (cons 'branch  (match-string 2 branch-line)))))
+                   (cons 'branch  (match-string 2 branch-line))
+                   (cons 'remote  (string-match-p "^remotes/" (match-string 2 branch-line))))))
     (if (match-string 4 branch-line)
         (cons (cons 'other-ref (match-string 6 branch-line)) res)
       (append