diff --git a/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init-with-existing-remote.md b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init-with-existing-remote.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8c40e281
--- /dev/null
+++ b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init-with-existing-remote.md
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+Let's try to `rad init` a repo which already has a remote tracking branch for `master`.
+
+First we have to create a valid remote repository.
+
+```
+$ git init --bare remote
+Initialized empty Git repository in [..]
+```
+
+Then we add it as a remote.
+
+```
+$ git remote add origin file://$PWD/remote
+$ git push -u origin master:master
+branch 'master' set up to track 'origin/master'.
+$ git branch -vv
+* master f2de534 [origin/master] Second commit
+```
+
+Then we initialize.
+
+```
+$ rad init --name heartwood --description "Heartwood Protocol & Stack" --no-confirm --public
+
+Initializing public radicle 👾 project in .
+
+✓ Project heartwood created.
+
+Your project's Repository ID (RID) is rad:z2D6wQnKapY7dn5meBnbH2rUKNZbT.
+You can show it any time by running `rad .` from this directory.
+
+Your project will be announced to the network when you start your node.
+You can start your node with `rad node start`.
+To push changes, run `git push rad master`.
+```
+
+Finally we run the suggested command.
+
+``` (stderr)
+$ git push rad master
+Everything up-to-date
+```
diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/commands/init.rs b/radicle-cli/src/commands/init.rs
index a66e677d..813c0999 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/commands/init.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/commands/init.rs
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ pub fn init(options: Options, profile: &profile::Profile) -> anyhow::Result<()>
         &repo,
         &name,
         &description,
-        branch,
+        branch.clone(),
         visibility,
         &signer,
         &profile.storage,
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ pub fn init(options: Options, profile: &profile::Profile) -> anyhow::Result<()>
                     radicle::git::refs::workdir::branch(proj.default_branch()),
                 )?;
             } else {
-                push_cmd = format!("git push {}", *radicle::rad::REMOTE_NAME);
+                push_cmd = format!("git push {} {branch}", *radicle::rad::REMOTE_NAME);
             }
 
             if options.setup_signing {
diff --git a/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs b/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs
index ff515823..8b95f558 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs
@@ -146,6 +146,24 @@ fn rad_init() {
     .unwrap();
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn rad_init_with_existing_remote() {
+    let mut environment = Environment::new();
+    let profile = environment.profile(config::profile("alice"));
+    let working = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+
+    // Setup a test repository.
+    fixtures::repository(working.path());
+
+    test(
+        "examples/rad-init-with-existing-remote.md",
+        working.path(),
+        Some(&profile.home),
+        [],
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn rad_init_no_git() {
     let mut environment = Environment::new();