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How to Fix 'git push rejected non-fast-forward' Error Safely

Read Time: 4 min Updated: 2026-07-27

Quick Diagnostics

The error [rejected - non-fast-forward] or updates were rejected because the remote contains work that you do not have locally occurs when you attempt to push local commits to a remote branch in Git, but the remote repository contains newer commits that your local branch lacks.

🔍 Quick Diagnostics

Symptom Root Cause Solution
error: failed to push some refs ... [rejected - non-fast-forward] The remote repository branch has commits that have not been integrated into your local working copy Run git pull --rebase origin <branch> to apply remote changes before running git push

🚀 How to Fix the Error Step-by-Step

Step 1: Fetch and Integrate Remote Updates with Rebase

Instead of executing a standard merge that creates an unnecessary merge commit, use git pull --rebase to replay your new local commits on top of the updated remote history:

BASH 
# Replace 'main' with your branch name (e.g., dev or feature/auth)
git pull --rebase origin main

If you prefer inspecting remote changes before rebasing:

BASH 
git fetch origin
git rebase origin/main

Step 2: Resolve Merge Conflicts If Prompted

If files were modified concurrently in both local and remote commits, Git will pause the rebase process. Open the conflicting files, resolve the markers, and run:

BASH 
# Stage resolved files
git add .

# Continue the rebase operation
git rebase --continue

Step 3: Push Your Changes Safely

Once your local branch is synchronized and cleanly rebased on top of the remote tip, push your commits:

BASH 
git push origin main

If you rebased existing local commits on a personal feature branch and need to update the remote, avoid destructive git push --force and use the safer option:

BASH 
git push origin main --force-with-lease

Prevention Advice

Recommended security practices:

  • Branch Protection Rules: Enable branch protection in GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket to prevent direct or forced pushes on default branches like main or production.
  • Pull Before Coding: Get into the habit of running git pull --rebase at the start of your work session or prior to pushing new code.
  • Use --force-with-lease Instead of --force: The --force-with-lease flag checks whether someone else has pushed updates to the remote branch before allowing an overwrite.