diff --git a/dolt/middleware.py b/dolt/middleware.py
index 5fb8d5b..6a6bf5d 100644
--- a/dolt/middleware.py
+++ b/dolt/middleware.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 
 from dolt.constants import (
     DOLT_BRANCH_KEYWORD,
-    DOLT_VERSIONED_URL_PREFIXES,
     DOLT_DEFAULT_BRANCH,
 )
 from dolt.context_managers import AutoDoltCommit
@@ -15,40 +14,14 @@
 
 
 class DoltBranchMiddleware:
+    # DOLT_BRANCH_KEYWORD = "branch"
+
     def __init__(self, get_response):
         self.get_response = get_response
 
     def __call__(self, request):
-        # check for a `branch` query string param
-        branch = request.GET.get(DOLT_BRANCH_KEYWORD, None)
-
-        if branch:
-            # update the session cookie with the active branch
-            request.session[DOLT_BRANCH_KEYWORD] = branch
-        elif self._is_vcs_route(request):
-            # route is under version control, but no branch was specified,
-            # lookup the active branch in the session cookie.
-            branch = request.session.get(DOLT_BRANCH_KEYWORD, DOLT_DEFAULT_BRANCH)
-            # provide the `branch` query string param and redirect
-            return redirect(f"{request.path}?{DOLT_BRANCH_KEYWORD}={branch}")
-
         return self.get_response(request)
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def _is_vcs_route(request):
-        """
-        Determines whether the requested page is under version-control
-        and needs to be redirected to read from a specific branch.
-        """
-        if request.GET.get(DOLT_BRANCH_KEYWORD, None):
-            # if a branch is already specified in the
-            # query string, don't redirect
-            return False
-
-        return (
-            request.path.startswith(DOLT_VERSIONED_URL_PREFIXES) or request.path == "/"
-        )
-
     def process_view(self, request, view_func, view_args, view_kwargs):
         # lookup the active branch in the session cookie
         branch = request.session.get(DOLT_BRANCH_KEYWORD, DOLT_DEFAULT_BRANCH)
@@ -62,9 +35,8 @@ def process_view(self, request, view_func, view_args, view_kwargs):
                     f"""<div class="text-center">branch not found: {branch}</div>"""
                 ),
             )
-        # verify the active branch
-        active = Branch.active_branch()
         # inject the "active branch" banner
+        active = Branch.active_branch()
         messages.info(
             request,
             mark_safe(f"""<div class="text-center">active branch: {active}</div>"""),
diff --git a/dolt/tables.py b/dolt/tables.py
index 7fb47de..a76711a 100644
--- a/dolt/tables.py
+++ b/dolt/tables.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
         Active
     </div>
 {% else %}
-    <a href="/?branch={{ record.name }}" class="btn btn-xs btn-primary" title="checkout">
+    <a href="{% url 'plugins:dolt:branch_checkout' pk=record.pk %}" class="btn btn-xs btn-primary" title="checkout">
         Checkout
     </a>
 {% endif %}
diff --git a/dolt/urls.py b/dolt/urls.py
index a5a77c3..2539f1f 100644
--- a/dolt/urls.py
+++ b/dolt/urls.py
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@
         name="branch_merge_preview",
     ),
     path("branches/<str:pk>/", views.BranchView.as_view(), name="branch"),
+    path(
+        "branches/<str:pk>/checkout/",
+        views.BranchCheckoutView.as_view(),
+        name="branch_checkout",
+    ),
     path("branches/<str:pk>/edit/", views.BranchEditView.as_view(), name="branch_edit"),
     path(
         "branches/<str:pk>/delete/",
diff --git a/dolt/views.py b/dolt/views.py
index 4ad1b02..c84806c 100644
--- a/dolt/views.py
+++ b/dolt/views.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 from django.views import View
 
 from nautobot.core.views import generic
-from nautobot.utilities.utils import normalize_querydict
 from nautobot.utilities.views import GetReturnURLMixin
 
 from dolt import filters, forms, tables
@@ -75,6 +74,17 @@ class BranchListView(generic.ObjectListView):
     template_name = "dolt/branch_list.html"
 
 
+class BranchCheckoutView(View):
+    queryset = Branch.objects.all()
+    model_form = forms.BranchForm
+    template_name = "dolt/branch_edit.html"
+
+    def get(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
+        # new branch will be checked out on redirect
+        request.session[DOLT_BRANCH_KEYWORD] = kwargs["pk"]
+        return redirect("/")
+
+
 class BranchEditView(generic.ObjectEditView):
     queryset = Branch.objects.all()
     model_form = forms.BranchForm