diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 8600169..4395072 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -901,16 +901,22 @@ pub fn run() {
                         None => action_args.name.clone(),
                     };
 
+                    let mut remote_branch_exists = false;
+
                     let checkout_commit = match &action_args.track {
                         Some(upstream_branch_name) => {
                             match repo.find_branch(upstream_branch_name, git2::BranchType::Remote) {
-                                Ok(branch) => branch.into_reference().peel_to_commit().unwrap(),
+                                Ok(branch) => {
+                                    remote_branch_exists = true;
+                                    branch.into_reference().peel_to_commit().unwrap()
+                                }
                                 Err(_) => {
-                                    print_error(&format!(
-                                        "Remote branch {} not found",
-                                        &upstream_branch_name
-                                    ));
-                                    process::exit(1);
+                                    remote_branch_exists = false;
+                                    get_default_branch(&repo)
+                                        .unwrap()
+                                        .into_reference()
+                                        .peel_to_commit()
+                                        .unwrap()
                                 }
                             }
                         }
@@ -928,10 +934,66 @@ pub fn run() {
                         };
 
                     if let Some(upstream_branch_name) = action_args.track {
-                        target_branch
-                            .set_upstream(Some(&upstream_branch_name))
-                            .unwrap();
-                    }
+                        if remote_branch_exists {
+                            target_branch
+                                .set_upstream(Some(&upstream_branch_name))
+                                .unwrap();
+                        } else {
+                            print_error(&format!(
+                                "Remote branch {} not found",
+                                &upstream_branch_name
+                            ));
+                            let split_at = upstream_branch_name.find("/").unwrap_or(0);
+                            if split_at == 0 || split_at >= upstream_branch_name.len() - 1 {
+                                print_error("Tracking branch needs to match the pattern <remote>/<branch_name>");
+                                process::exit(1);
+                            }
+
+                            let (remote_name, remote_branch_name) =
+                                &upstream_branch_name.split_at(split_at);
+                            // strip the remaining slash
+                            let remote_branch_name = &remote_branch_name[1..];
+
+                            let mut remote = match repo.find_remote(remote_name) {
+                                Ok(r) => r,
+                                Err(_) => {
+                                    print_error(&format!("Remote {} not found", remote_name));
+                                    process::exit(1);
+                                }
+                            };
+
+                            let mut callbacks = git2::RemoteCallbacks::new();
+                            callbacks.push_update_reference(|_, status| {
+                                if let Some(message) = status {
+                                    return Err(git2::Error::new(
+                                        git2::ErrorCode::GenericError,
+                                        git2::ErrorClass::None,
+                                        message,
+                                    ));
+                                }
+                                Ok(())
+                            });
+                            callbacks.credentials(|_url, username_from_url, _allowed_types| {
+                                git2::Cred::ssh_key_from_agent(username_from_url.unwrap())
+                            });
+
+                            let mut push_options = git2::PushOptions::new();
+                            push_options.remote_callbacks(callbacks);
+
+                            let push_refspec = format!(
+                                "+{}:refs/heads/{}",
+                                target_branch.get().name().unwrap(),
+                                remote_branch_name
+                            );
+                            remote
+                                .push(&[push_refspec], Some(&mut push_options))
+                                .unwrap();
+
+                            target_branch
+                                .set_upstream(Some(&upstream_branch_name))
+                                .unwrap();
+                        }
+                    };
 
                     let worktree = repo.worktree(
                         &action_args.name,