Git3 min read2026-03-01

Git Push Rejected (non-fast-forward)

Fix 'error: failed to push some refs to... Updates were rejected because the tip of your current branch is behind'.

Error Code / Stack Trace

! [rejected] main -> main (non-fast-forward)
error: failed to push some refs to 'github.com/repo.git'

Git rejects your git push because the remote repository contains commits that your local branch does not have.

A teammate pushed commits to the remote branch while you were working locally.
You merged a pull request directly on GitHub/GitLab and your local clone is out of sync.

Fetch remote commits and replay your local commits cleanly on top.

bash

git pull --rebase origin main

Now that your local branch has fast-forward history, push normally.

bash

git push origin main

•Blindly using 'git push --force' on shared branches like main, which overwrites colleagues' commits.

If force-pushing on a personal feature branch is necessary, always use 'git push --force-with-lease'.

--force-with-lease refuses to overwrite remote commits if someone else pushed changes you have not seen yet.