diff --git a/lib/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches.rb b/lib/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches.rb
index 28e60810..e83ad8a1 100644
--- a/lib/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches.rb
+++ b/lib/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches.rb
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ def illegal_pushes
 
     def protected?(remote_ref)
       ref_name = remote_ref[%r{refs/heads/(.*)}, 1]
+      return false if ref_name.nil?
       protected_branch_patterns.any? do |pattern|
         File.fnmatch(pattern, ref_name)
       end
diff --git a/spec/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches_spec.rb b/spec/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches_spec.rb
index 652f679f..e94ce35e 100644
--- a/spec/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/overcommit/hook/pre_push/protected_branches_spec.rb
@@ -93,4 +93,14 @@
       include_examples 'protected branch'
     end
   end
+
+  context 'when pushing tags' do
+    let(:pushed_ref_name) { 'redundant' }
+
+    before do
+      pushed_ref.stub(:remote_ref).and_return("refs/tags/#{pushed_ref_name}")
+    end
+
+    it { should pass }
+  end
 end