diff --git a/src/branch.rs b/src/branch.rs
index 3f035ed0d3..81485f0fd6 100644
--- a/src/branch.rs
+++ b/src/branch.rs
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ impl<'repo> Branch<'repo> {
 
     /// Return the reference supporting the remote tracking branch, given a
     /// local branch reference.
-    pub fn upstream<'a>(&'a self) -> Result<Branch<'a>, Error> {
+    pub fn upstream(&self) -> Result<Branch<'repo>, Error> {
         let mut ret = ptr::null_mut();
         unsafe {
             try_call!(raw::git_branch_upstream(&mut ret, &*self.get().raw()));