diff --git a/tasks/workunit.py b/tasks/workunit.py
index 2b1d4130b5e..86bcdb5b9f6 100644
--- a/tasks/workunit.py
+++ b/tasks/workunit.py
@@ -314,13 +314,13 @@ def _run_tests(ctx, refspec, role, tests, env, subdir=None, timeout=None):
             args=[
                 'git',
                 'clone',
-                '--branch',
-                refspec,
                 git_url,
                 clonedir,
                 run.Raw(';'),
                 'cd', '--', clonedir,
                 run.Raw('&&'),
+                'git', 'checkout', refspec,
+                run.Raw('&&'),
                 'mv', 'qa/workunits', srcdir,
             ],
         )