diff --git a/config/default.yml b/config/default.yml
index 8cc0f505..b3ba0aea 100644
--- a/config/default.yml
+++ b/config/default.yml
@@ -474,6 +474,11 @@ PrePush:
     required: false
     quiet: false
 
+  ProtectedBranches:
+    enabled: false
+    description: 'Checking for illegal pushes to protected branches'
+    branches: ['master']
+
   Rspec:
     enabled: false
     description: 'Running rspec test suite'
diff --git a/lib/overcommit/hook/pre_push/base.rb b/lib/overcommit/hook/pre_push/base.rb
index 934ce58d..7f07a9ac 100644
--- a/lib/overcommit/hook/pre_push/base.rb
+++ b/lib/overcommit/hook/pre_push/base.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@ module Overcommit::Hook::PrePush
   class Base < Overcommit::Hook::Base
     extend Forwardable
 
-    def_delegators :@context, :remote_name, :remote_url, :pushed_commits
+    def_delegators :@context, :remote_name, :remote_url, :pushed_refs
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches.rb b/lib/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..93f77064
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+module Overcommit::Hook::PrePush
+  # Prevents destructive updates to specified branches.
+  class ProtectedBranches < Base
+    def run
+      return :pass unless illegal_pushes.any?
+
+      messages = illegal_pushes.map do |pushed_ref|
+        "Deleting or force-pushing to #{pushed_ref.remote_ref} is not allowed."
+      end
+
+      [:fail, messages.join("\n")]
+    end
+
+    private
+
+    def branches
+      @branches ||= config['branches']
+    end
+
+    def illegal_pushes
+      @illegal_pushes ||= pushed_refs.select do |pushed_ref|
+        (pushed_ref.deleted? || pushed_ref.forced?) &&
+          branches.any? { |branch| pushed_ref.remote_ref == "refs/heads/#{branch}" }
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/overcommit/hook_context/pre_push.rb b/lib/overcommit/hook_context/pre_push.rb
index b0ac8c17..6c255a48 100644
--- a/lib/overcommit/hook_context/pre_push.rb
+++ b/lib/overcommit/hook_context/pre_push.rb
@@ -11,13 +11,25 @@ def remote_url
       @args[1]
     end
 
-    def pushed_commits
+    def pushed_refs
       input_lines.map do |line|
-        PushedCommit.new(*line.split(' '))
+        PushedRef.new(*line.split(' '))
       end
     end
 
-    PushedCommit = Struct.new(:local_ref, :local_sha1, :remote_ref, :remote_sha1) do
+    PushedRef = Struct.new(:local_ref, :local_sha1, :remote_ref, :remote_sha1) do
+      def forced?
+        `git rev-list #{remote_sha1} ^#{local_sha1}`.chomp.any?
+      end
+
+      def created?
+        remote_sha1 == '0' * 40
+      end
+
+      def deleted?
+        local_sha1 == '0' * 40
+      end
+
       def to_s
         "#{local_ref} #{local_sha1} #{remote_ref} #{remote_sha1}"
       end
diff --git a/spec/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches_spec.rb b/spec/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..43df022c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe Overcommit::Hook::PrePush::ProtectedBranches do
+  let(:config)  { Overcommit::ConfigurationLoader.default_configuration }
+  let(:context) { double('context') }
+  subject { described_class.new(config, context) }
+
+  let(:protected_branch) { 'master' }
+  let(:unprotected_branch) { 'other' }
+  let(:pushed_ref) { double('pushed_ref') }
+
+  before do
+    subject.stub(:branches).and_return([protected_branch])
+    subject.stub(:pushed_refs).and_return([pushed_ref])
+  end
+
+  context 'when pushing to unprotected branch' do
+    before do
+      pushed_ref.stub(:remote_ref).and_return("refs/heads/#{unprotected_branch}")
+    end
+
+    context 'when ref is not deleted or force-pushed' do
+      before do
+        pushed_ref.stub(deleted?: false, forced?: false)
+      end
+
+      it { should pass }
+    end
+
+    context 'when ref is deleted' do
+      before do
+        pushed_ref.stub(deleted?: true)
+      end
+
+      it { should pass }
+    end
+
+    context 'when ref is force-pushed' do
+      before do
+        pushed_ref.stub(deleted?: false, forced?: true)
+      end
+
+      it { should pass }
+    end
+  end
+
+  context 'when pushing to protected branch' do
+    before do
+      pushed_ref.stub(:remote_ref).and_return("refs/heads/#{protected_branch}")
+    end
+
+    context 'when ref is not deleted or force-pushed' do
+      before do
+        pushed_ref.stub(deleted?: false, forced?: false)
+      end
+
+      it { should pass }
+    end
+
+    context 'when ref is deleted' do
+      before do
+        pushed_ref.stub(deleted?: true)
+      end
+
+      it { should fail_hook }
+    end
+
+    context 'when ref is force-pushed' do
+      before do
+        pushed_ref.stub(deleted?: false, forced?: true)
+      end
+
+      it { should fail_hook }
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/overcommit/hook_context/pre_push_spec.rb b/spec/overcommit/hook_context/pre_push_spec.rb
index 2c3b43b7..da0f7831 100644
--- a/spec/overcommit/hook_context/pre_push_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/overcommit/hook_context/pre_push_spec.rb
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@
     it { should == remote_url }
   end
 
-  describe '#pushed_commits' do
-    subject(:pushed_commits) { context.pushed_commits }
+  describe '#pushed_refs' do
+    subject(:pushed_refs) { context.pushed_refs }
 
     let(:local_ref) { 'refs/heads/master' }
     let(:local_sha1) { random_hash }
@@ -34,12 +34,12 @@
     end
 
     it 'should parse commit info from the input' do
-      pushed_commits.length.should == 1
-      pushed_commits.each do |pushed_commit|
-        pushed_commit.local_ref.should == local_ref
-        pushed_commit.local_sha1.should == local_sha1
-        pushed_commit.remote_ref.should == remote_ref
-        pushed_commit.remote_sha1.should == remote_sha1
+      pushed_refs.length.should == 1
+      pushed_refs.each do |pushed_ref|
+        pushed_ref.local_ref.should == local_ref
+        pushed_ref.local_sha1.should == local_sha1
+        pushed_ref.remote_ref.should == remote_ref
+        pushed_ref.remote_sha1.should == remote_sha1
       end
     end
   end