diff --git a/bin/kernel-autobump b/bin/kernel-autobump
index b8088f3f..2c0199e3 100755
--- a/bin/kernel-autobump
+++ b/bin/kernel-autobump
@@ -63,26 +63,6 @@ start() {
         return 1;
     }
 
-    if ! git show-branch "${BRANCH}" > /dev/null; then
-        echo "Creating branch: ${BRANCH}"
-        git checkout -q "${PUSH_REMOTE}/${BRANCH}" -b "${BRANCH}" || {
-            rollback
-            return 1;
-        }
-    else
-        echo "Checking out branch: ${BRANCH}"
-        git checkout -q "${BRANCH}" || {
-            rollback
-            return 1;
-        }
-    fi
-
-    echo "Updating branch"
-    git rebase "${PUSH_REMOTE}/${BRANCH}" || {
-        rollback
-        return 1;
-    }
-
     local tags=$(git tag | grep -e "v${REGEX}")
     echo "Tracking tags:"
     echo -e "${tags}"
@@ -107,6 +87,26 @@ start() {
         return 0
     fi
 
+    if ! git show-branch "${BRANCH}" > /dev/null; then
+        echo "Creating branch: ${BRANCH}"
+        git checkout -q "${PUSH_REMOTE}/${BRANCH}" -b "${BRANCH}" || {
+            rollback
+            return 1;
+        }
+    else
+        echo "Checking out branch: ${BRANCH}"
+        git checkout -q "${BRANCH}" || {
+            rollback
+            return 1;
+        }
+    fi
+
+    echo "Updating branch"
+    git rebase "${PUSH_REMOTE}/${BRANCH}" || {
+        rollback
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     for tag in "${bumps[@]}"; do
         echo "Working on tag: ${tag}"
         git merge "${tag}" -m "Automatic merge of tag ${PULL_REMOTE}/${tag}" || {