diff --git a/include/git2/remote.h b/include/git2/remote.h
index 15a92f3df..1f33c92e8 100644
--- a/include/git2/remote.h
+++ b/include/git2/remote.h
@@ -145,8 +145,11 @@ GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_set_pushurl(git_remote *remote, const char* url);
 /**
  * Add a fetch refspec to the remote
  *
+ * Convenience function for adding a single fetch refspec to the
+ * current list in the remote.
+ *
  * @param remote the remote
- * @apram refspec the new fetch refspec
+ * @param refspec the new fetch refspec
  * @return 0 or an error value
  */
 GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_add_fetch(git_remote *remote, const char *refspec);
@@ -162,9 +165,22 @@ GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_add_fetch(git_remote *remote, const char *refspec);
  */
 GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_get_fetch_refspecs(git_strarray *array, git_remote *remote);
 
+/**
+ * Set the remote's list of fetch refspecs
+ *
+ * The contents of the string array are copied.
+ *
+ * @param remote the remote to modify
+ * @param array the new list of fetch resfpecs
+ */
+GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_set_fetch_refspecs(git_remote *remote, git_strarray *array);
+
 /**
  * Add a push refspec to the remote
  *
+ * Convenience function for adding a single push refspec to the
+ * current list in the remote.
+ *
  * @param remote the remote
  * @param refspec the new push refspec
  * @return 0 or an error value
@@ -182,6 +198,16 @@ GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_add_push(git_remote *remote, const char *refspec);
  */
 GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_get_push_refspecs(git_strarray *array, git_remote *remote);
 
+/**
+ * Set the remote's list of push refspecs
+ *
+ * The contents of the string array are copied.
+ *
+ * @param remote the remote to modify
+ * @param array the new list of push resfpecs
+ */
+GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_set_push_refspecs(git_remote *remote, git_strarray *array);
+
 /**
  * Clear the refspecs
  *
@@ -208,15 +234,6 @@ GIT_EXTERN(size_t) git_remote_refspec_count(git_remote *remote);
  */
 GIT_EXTERN(const git_refspec *)git_remote_get_refspec(git_remote *remote, size_t n);
 
-/**
- * Remove a refspec from the remote
- *
- * @param remote the remote to query
- * @param n the refspec to remove
- * @return 0 or GIT_ENOTFOUND
- */
-GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_remove_refspec(git_remote *remote, size_t n);
-
 /**
  * Open a connection to a remote
  *
diff --git a/src/clone.c b/src/clone.c
index 657243945..f9338b746 100644
--- a/src/clone.c
+++ b/src/clone.c
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ static bool should_checkout(
 int git_clone_into(git_repository *repo, git_remote *remote, const git_checkout_opts *co_opts, const char *branch)
 {
 	int error = 0, old_fetchhead;
-	size_t nspecs;
+	git_strarray refspecs;
 
 	assert(repo && remote);
 
@@ -358,6 +358,10 @@ int git_clone_into(git_repository *repo, git_remote *remote, const git_checkout_
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+
+	if ((error = git_remote_get_fetch_refspecs(&refspecs, remote)) < 0)
+		return error;
+
 	if ((error = git_remote_add_fetch(remote, "refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*")) < 0)
 		return error;
 
@@ -378,9 +382,13 @@ int git_clone_into(git_repository *repo, git_remote *remote, const git_checkout_
 
 cleanup:
 	git_remote_set_update_fetchhead(remote, old_fetchhead);
-	/* Remove the tags refspec */
-	nspecs = git_remote_refspec_count(remote);
-	git_remote_remove_refspec(remote, nspecs);
+	/* Go back to the original refspecs */
+	if (git_remote_set_fetch_refspecs(remote, &refspecs) < 0) {
+		git_strarray_free(&refspecs);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	git_strarray_free(&refspecs);
 
 	return error;
 }
diff --git a/src/remote.c b/src/remote.c
index 49de5fa25..a2fd21007 100644
--- a/src/remote.c
+++ b/src/remote.c
@@ -1047,9 +1047,6 @@ void git_remote_disconnect(git_remote *remote)
 
 void git_remote_free(git_remote *remote)
 {
-	git_refspec *spec;
-	size_t i;
-
 	if (remote == NULL)
 		return;
 
@@ -1515,14 +1512,68 @@ void git_remote_clear_refspecs(git_remote *remote)
 	git_vector_clear(&remote->refspecs);
 }
 
+static int add_and_dwim(git_remote *remote, const char *str, int push)
+{
+	git_refspec *spec;
+	git_vector *vec;
+
+	if (add_refspec(remote, str, !push) < 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	vec = &remote->refspecs;
+	spec = git_vector_get(vec, vec->length - 1);
+	return git_refspec__dwim_one(&remote->active_refspecs, spec, &remote->refs);
+}
+
 int git_remote_add_fetch(git_remote *remote, const char *refspec)
 {
-	return add_refspec(remote, refspec, true);
+	return add_and_dwim(remote, refspec, false);
 }
 
 int git_remote_add_push(git_remote *remote, const char *refspec)
 {
-	return add_refspec(remote, refspec, false);
+	return add_and_dwim(remote, refspec, true);
+}
+
+static int set_refspecs(git_remote *remote, git_strarray *array, int push)
+{
+	git_vector *vec = &remote->refspecs;
+	git_refspec *spec;
+	size_t i;
+
+	/* Start by removing any refspecs of the same type */
+	for (i = 0; i < vec->length; i++) {
+		spec = git_vector_get(vec, i);
+		if (spec->push != push)
+			continue;
+
+		git_refspec__free(spec);
+		git__free(spec);
+		git_vector_remove(vec, i);
+		i--;
+	}
+
+	/* And now we add the new ones */
+
+	for (i = 0; i < array->count; i++) {
+		if (add_refspec(remote, array->strings[i], !push) < 0)
+			return -1;
+	}
+
+	free_refspecs(&remote->active_refspecs);
+	git_vector_clear(&remote->active_refspecs);
+
+	return dwim_refspecs(&remote->active_refspecs, &remote->refspecs, &remote->refs);
+}
+
+int git_remote_set_fetch_refspecs(git_remote *remote, git_strarray *array)
+{
+	return set_refspecs(remote, array, false);
+}
+
+int git_remote_set_push_refspecs(git_remote *remote, git_strarray *array)
+{
+	return set_refspecs(remote, array, true);
 }
 
 static int copy_refspecs(git_strarray *array, git_remote *remote, unsigned int push)
@@ -1580,18 +1631,3 @@ const git_refspec *git_remote_get_refspec(git_remote *remote, size_t n)
 {
 	return git_vector_get(&remote->refspecs, n);
 }
-
-int git_remote_remove_refspec(git_remote *remote, size_t n)
-{
-	git_refspec *spec;
-
-	assert(remote);
-
-	spec = git_vector_get(&remote->refspecs, n);
-	if (spec) {
-		git_refspec__free(spec);
-		git__free(spec);
-	}
-
-	return git_vector_remove(&remote->refspecs, n);
-}