diff --git a/git_rebase_update.py b/git_rebase_update.py
index 37f306658..b0c5bf4dc 100755
--- a/git_rebase_update.py
+++ b/git_rebase_update.py
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ def remove_empty_branches(branch_tree):
   tag_set = git.tags()
   ensure_root_checkout = git.once(lambda: git.run('checkout', git.root()))
 
+  deletions = set()
   downstreams = collections.defaultdict(list)
   for branch, parent in git.topo_iter(branch_tree, top_down=False):
     downstreams[parent].append(branch)
@@ -84,6 +85,9 @@ def remove_empty_branches(branch_tree):
       logging.debug('branch %s merged to %s', branch, parent)
 
       for down in downstreams[branch]:
+        if down in deletions:
+          continue
+
         if parent in tag_set:
           git.set_branch_config(down, 'remote', '.')
           git.set_branch_config(down, 'merge', 'refs/tags/%s' % parent)
@@ -94,6 +98,7 @@ def remove_empty_branches(branch_tree):
           print ('Reparented %s to track %s (was tracking %s)'
                  % (down, parent, branch))
 
+      deletions.add(branch)
       print git.run('branch', '-d', branch)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/git_rebase_update_test.py b/tests/git_rebase_update_test.py
index 64f7fd3b7..0dea37e60 100755
--- a/tests/git_rebase_update_test.py
+++ b/tests/git_rebase_update_test.py
@@ -116,6 +116,9 @@ class GitRebaseUpdateTest(git_test_utils.GitRepoReadWriteTestBase):
     output, _ = self.repo.capture_stdio(self.reup.main)
     self.assertIn('Cannot rebase-update', output)
 
+    self.repo.run(self.nb.main, ['empty_branch'])
+    self.repo.run(self.nb.main, ['--upstream_current', 'empty_branch2'])
+
     self.repo.git('checkout', 'branch_K')
 
     output, _ = self.repo.capture_stdio(self.reup.main)
@@ -126,6 +129,8 @@ class GitRebaseUpdateTest(git_test_utils.GitRepoReadWriteTestBase):
     self.assertIn('Rebasing: foobar', output)
     self.assertIn('Rebasing: sub_K', output)
     self.assertIn('Deleted branch branch_G', output)
+    self.assertIn('Deleted branch empty_branch', output)
+    self.assertIn('Deleted branch empty_branch2', output)
     self.assertIn('Reparented branch_K to track origin/master', output)
 
     self.assertSchema("""