diff --git a/include/git2/remote.h b/include/git2/remote.h
index 83ad195f4..8c21870de 100644
--- a/include/git2/remote.h
+++ b/include/git2/remote.h
@@ -310,6 +310,17 @@ GIT_EXTERN(void) git_remote_free(git_remote *remote);
  */
 GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_update_tips(git_remote *remote);
 
+/**
+ * Download new data and update tips
+ *
+ * Convenience function to connect to a remote, download the data,
+ * disconnect and update the remote-tracking branches.
+ *
+ * @param remote the remote to fetch from
+ * @return 0 or an error code
+ */
+GIT_EXTERN(int) git_remote_fetch(git_remote *remote);
+
 /**
  * Return whether a string is a valid remote URL
  *
diff --git a/src/clone.c b/src/clone.c
index 436fdff43..13f2a8eea 100644
--- a/src/clone.c
+++ b/src/clone.c
@@ -350,24 +350,6 @@ on_error:
 	return error;
 }
 
-static int do_fetch(git_remote *origin)
-{
-	int retcode;
-
-	/* Connect and download everything */
-	if ((retcode = git_remote_connect(origin, GIT_DIRECTION_FETCH)) < 0)
-		return retcode;
-
-	if ((retcode = git_remote_download(origin)) < 0)
-		return retcode;
-
-	/* Create "origin/foo" branches for all remote branches */
-	if ((retcode = git_remote_update_tips(origin)) < 0)
-		return retcode;
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int setup_remotes_and_fetch(
 		git_repository *repo,
 		const char *url,
@@ -391,7 +373,7 @@ static int setup_remotes_and_fetch(
 		((retcode = git_remote_add_fetch(origin, "refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*")) < 0))
 		goto on_error;
 
-	if ((retcode = do_fetch(origin)) < 0)
+	if ((retcode = git_remote_fetch(origin)) < 0)
 		goto on_error;
 
 	/* Point HEAD to the requested branch */
@@ -459,7 +441,7 @@ int git_clone_into(git_repository *repo, git_remote *remote, git_checkout_opts *
 	old_fetchhead = git_remote_update_fetchhead(remote);
 	git_remote_set_update_fetchhead(remote, 0);
 
-	if ((error = do_fetch(remote)) < 0)
+	if ((error = git_remote_fetch(remote)) < 0)
 		goto cleanup;
 
 	if (branch)
diff --git a/src/remote.c b/src/remote.c
index 2d0321eb3..ace886502 100644
--- a/src/remote.c
+++ b/src/remote.c
@@ -767,6 +767,24 @@ int git_remote_download(git_remote *remote)
 	return git_fetch_download_pack(remote);
 }
 
+int git_remote_fetch(git_remote *remote)
+{
+	int error;
+
+	/* Connect and download everything */
+	if ((error = git_remote_connect(remote, GIT_DIRECTION_FETCH)) < 0)
+		return error;
+
+	if ((error = git_remote_download(remote)) < 0)
+		return error;
+
+	/* We don't need to be connected anymore */
+	git_remote_disconnect(remote);
+
+	/* Create "remote/foo" branches for all remote branches */
+	return git_remote_update_tips(remote);
+}
+
 static int remote_head_for_fetchspec_src(git_remote_head **out, git_vector *update_heads, const char *fetchspec_src)
 {
 	unsigned int i;