diff --git a/git/refs/reference.py b/git/refs/reference.py
index 7666b921a..29d051a6f 100644
--- a/git/refs/reference.py
+++ b/git/refs/reference.py
@@ -13,6 +13,18 @@
 
 __all__ = ["Reference"]
 
+#{ Utilities
+def require_remote_ref_path(func):
+	"""A decorator raising a TypeError if we are not a valid remote, based on the path"""
+	def wrapper(self, *args):
+		if not self.path.startswith(self._remote_common_path_default + "/"):
+			raise ValueError("ref path does not point to a remote reference: %s" % path)
+		return func(self, *args)
+	#END wrapper
+	wrapper.__name__ = func.__name__
+	return wrapper
+#}END utilites
+
 
 class Reference(SymbolicReference, LazyMixin, Iterable):
 	"""Represents a named reference to any object. Subclasses may apply restrictions though, 
@@ -38,6 +50,8 @@ def __init__(self, repo, path, check_path = True):
 
 	def __str__(self):
 		return self.name
+		
+	#{ Interface
 
 	def set_object(self, object, logmsg = None):
 		"""Special version which checks if the head-log needs an update as well"""
@@ -84,3 +98,30 @@ def iter_items(cls, repo, common_path = None):
 		"""Equivalent to SymbolicReference.iter_items, but will return non-detached
 		references as well."""
 		return cls._iter_items(repo, common_path)
+		
+	#}END interface
+	
+	
+	#{ Remote Interface
+	
+	@property
+	@require_remote_ref_path
+	def remote_name(self):
+		"""
+		:return:
+			Name of the remote we are a reference of, such as 'origin' for a reference
+			named 'origin/master'"""
+		tokens = self.path.split('/')
+		# /refs/remotes/<remote name>/<branch_name>
+		return tokens[2]
+		
+	@property
+	@require_remote_ref_path
+	def remote_head(self):
+		""":return: Name of the remote head itself, i.e. master.
+		:note: The returned name is usually not qualified enough to uniquely identify
+			a branch"""
+		tokens = self.path.split('/')
+		return '/'.join(tokens[3:])
+	
+	#} END remote interface
diff --git a/git/refs/remote.py b/git/refs/remote.py
index b7b07d4ba..1d45d23f8 100644
--- a/git/refs/remote.py
+++ b/git/refs/remote.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 	
 class RemoteReference(Head):
 	"""Represents a reference pointing to a remote head."""
-	_common_path_default = "refs/remotes"
+	_common_path_default = Head._remote_common_path_default
 	
 	
 	@classmethod
@@ -22,24 +22,6 @@ def iter_items(cls, repo, common_path = None, remote=None):
 		# END handle remote constraint
 		return super(RemoteReference, cls).iter_items(repo, common_path)
 	
-	@property
-	def remote_name(self):
-		"""
-		:return:
-			Name of the remote we are a reference of, such as 'origin' for a reference
-			named 'origin/master'"""
-		tokens = self.path.split('/')
-		# /refs/remotes/<remote name>/<branch_name>
-		return tokens[2]
-		
-	@property
-	def remote_head(self):
-		""":return: Name of the remote head itself, i.e. master.
-		:note: The returned name is usually not qualified enough to uniquely identify
-			a branch"""
-		tokens = self.path.split('/')
-		return '/'.join(tokens[3:])
-		
 	@classmethod
 	def delete(cls, repo, *refs, **kwargs):
 		"""Delete the given remote references.
diff --git a/git/refs/symbolic.py b/git/refs/symbolic.py
index 65327a2f4..8556a65ed 100644
--- a/git/refs/symbolic.py
+++ b/git/refs/symbolic.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ class SymbolicReference(object):
 	_resolve_ref_on_create = False
 	_points_to_commits_only = True
 	_common_path_default = ""
+	_remote_common_path_default = "refs/remotes"
 	_id_attribute_ = "name"
 	
 	def __init__(self, repo, path):