diff --git a/ls-refs.c b/ls-refs.c
index 0a7dbc6442..818aef70a0 100644
--- a/ls-refs.c
+++ b/ls-refs.c
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ static int send_ref(const char *refname, const struct object_id *oid,
 		if (!symref_target)
 			die("'%s' is a symref but it is not?", refname);
 
-		strbuf_addf(&refline, " symref-target:%s", symref_target);
+		strbuf_addf(&refline, " symref-target:%s",
+			    strip_namespace(symref_target));
 	}
 
 	if (data->peel) {
diff --git a/t/t5509-fetch-push-namespaces.sh b/t/t5509-fetch-push-namespaces.sh
index c88df78c0b..75cbfcc392 100755
--- a/t/t5509-fetch-push-namespaces.sh
+++ b/t/t5509-fetch-push-namespaces.sh
@@ -124,4 +124,32 @@ test_expect_success 'try to update a hidden full ref' '
 	test_must_fail git -C original push pushee-namespaced master
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'set up ambiguous HEAD' '
+	git init ambiguous &&
+	(
+		cd ambiguous &&
+		git commit --allow-empty -m foo &&
+		git update-ref refs/namespaces/ns/refs/heads/one HEAD &&
+		git update-ref refs/namespaces/ns/refs/heads/two HEAD &&
+		git symbolic-ref refs/namespaces/ns/HEAD \
+			refs/namespaces/ns/refs/heads/two
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'clone chooses correct HEAD (v0)' '
+	GIT_NAMESPACE=ns git -c protocol.version=0 \
+		clone ambiguous ambiguous-v0 &&
+	echo refs/heads/two >expect &&
+	git -C ambiguous-v0 symbolic-ref HEAD >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'clone chooses correct HEAD (v2)' '
+	GIT_NAMESPACE=ns git -c protocol.version=2 \
+		clone ambiguous ambiguous-v2 &&
+	echo refs/heads/two >expect &&
+	git -C ambiguous-v2 symbolic-ref HEAD >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_done
diff --git a/upload-pack.c b/upload-pack.c
index d098ef5982..7fa501cb4d 100644
--- a/upload-pack.c
+++ b/upload-pack.c
@@ -1032,8 +1032,8 @@ static int find_symref(const char *refname, const struct object_id *oid,
 	symref_target = resolve_ref_unsafe(refname, 0, NULL, &flag);
 	if (!symref_target || (flag & REF_ISSYMREF) == 0)
 		die("'%s' is a symref but it is not?", refname);
-	item = string_list_append(cb_data, refname);
-	item->util = xstrdup(symref_target);
+	item = string_list_append(cb_data, strip_namespace(refname));
+	item->util = xstrdup(strip_namespace(symref_target));
 	return 0;
 }