diff --git a/plugins/git/functions b/plugins/git/functions
index 5603aeb96..35181407e 100755
--- a/plugins/git/functions
+++ b/plugins/git/functions
@@ -96,8 +96,7 @@ cmd-git-hook() {
       plugn trigger deploy-source-set "$APP" "git-push" "$newrev"
     else
       if [[ $(find "$PLUGIN_PATH"/enabled/*/receive-branch 2>/dev/null | wc -l) != 1 ]]; then
-        # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-        plugn trigger receive-branch $APP $newrev $refname
+        plugn trigger receive-branch "$APP" "$newrev" "$refname"
         plugn trigger deploy-source-set "$APP" "git-push" "$newrev"
       elif [[ -z "$(fn-git-deploy-branch "$APP" "")" ]]; then
         echo $'\e[1G\e[K'"-----> Set ${refname/refs\/heads\//} to DOKKU_DEPLOY_BRANCH."
@@ -116,7 +115,7 @@ git_build() {
   declare desc="setup and call git_build_app_repo"
   local APP="$1" REV="$2"
   local DOKKU_DEPLOY_BRANCH ENV_VAR_NAME REF
-  if [[ $# -ge 2 ]]; then
+  if [[ -n "$REV" ]]; then
     ENV_VAR_NAME="$(fn-plugin-property-get "git" "$APP" "rev-env-var")"
     if [[ -z "$ENV_VAR_NAME" ]] && ! fn-plugin-property-exists "git" "$APP" "rev-env-var"; then
       ENV_VAR_NAME="GIT_REV"
@@ -130,14 +129,16 @@ git_build() {
     DOKKU_DEPLOY_BRANCH="$(fn-git-deploy-branch "$APP")"
     if [[ -f "$DOKKU_ROOT/$APP/refs/heads/$DOKKU_DEPLOY_BRANCH" ]]; then
       REF=$(<"$DOKKU_ROOT/$APP/refs/heads/$DOKKU_DEPLOY_BRANCH")
+    else
+      echo $'\e[1G\e[K'"-----> WARNING: Cannot build from '$DOKKU_DEPLOY_BRANCH' as there are no commits stored at that branch."
     fi
   fi
 
   if [[ -z "$REF" ]]; then
-    return
+    return 1
   fi
-  # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-  git_build_app_repo $APP $REF
+
+  git_build_app_repo "$APP" "$REF"
 }
 
 git_receive_app() {
@@ -148,10 +149,11 @@ git_receive_app() {
   if [[ ! -d "$DOKKU_ROOT/$APP/refs" ]]; then
     true
   else
+    local exit_code=0
     acquire_app_deploy_lock "$APP" "exclusive"
-    # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-    git_build $APP $REV
+    git_build "$APP" "$REV" || exit_code="$?"
     release_app_deploy_lock "$APP"
+    return "$exit_code"
   fi
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/git/receive-app b/plugins/git/receive-app
index 1c09982b4..ef7f59af1 100755
--- a/plugins/git/receive-app
+++ b/plugins/git/receive-app
@@ -3,4 +3,12 @@ source "$PLUGIN_AVAILABLE_PATH/git/functions"
 set -eo pipefail
 [[ $DOKKU_TRACE ]] && set -x
 
-git_receive_app "$@"
+trigger-git-receive-app() {
+  declare desc="builds the app from the local git repository"
+  declare trigger="receive-app"
+
+  git_receive_app "$@"
+  return $?
+}
+
+trigger-git-receive-app "$@"
diff --git a/tests/unit/git_2.bats b/tests/unit/git_2.bats
index 8a65f2ab6..9b13c1632 100644
--- a/tests/unit/git_2.bats
+++ b/tests/unit/git_2.bats
@@ -12,6 +12,29 @@ teardown() {
   global_teardown
 }
 
+@test "(git) push to non-deploy branch" {
+  run /bin/bash -c "dokku git:set $TEST_APP deploy-branch custom-branch"
+  echo "output: $output"
+  echo "status: $status"
+  assert_success
+
+  GIT_REMOTE_BRANCH=custom-branch run deploy_app
+  echo "output: $output"
+  echo "status: $status"
+  assert_success
+
+  run /bin/bash -c "dokku git:set $TEST_APP deploy-branch non-existing-branch"
+  echo "output: $output"
+  echo "status: $status"
+  assert_success
+
+  run /bin/bash -c "dokku ps:rebuild $TEST_APP"
+  echo "output: $output"
+  echo "status: $status"
+  assert_output_contains "Cannot build from 'non-existing-branch' as there are no commits stored at that branch."
+  assert_failure
+}
+
 @test "(git) deploy specific branch" {
   run /bin/bash -c "dokku git:set --global deploy-branch global-branch"
   echo "output: $output"