diff --git a/cmd/pulls/checkout.go b/cmd/pulls/checkout.go
index 4008cb0..7dade3d 100644
--- a/cmd/pulls/checkout.go
+++ b/cmd/pulls/checkout.go
@@ -24,7 +24,13 @@ var CmdPullsCheckout = cli.Command{
 	Description: `Locally check out the given PR`,
 	Action:      runPullsCheckout,
 	ArgsUsage:   "<pull index>",
-	Flags:       flags.AllDefaultFlags,
+	Flags: append([]cli.Flag{
+		&cli.BoolFlag{
+			Name:    "branch",
+			Aliases: []string{"b"},
+			Usage:   "Create a local branch if it doesn't exist yet",
+		},
+	}, flags.AllDefaultFlags...),
 }
 
 func runPullsCheckout(cmd *cli.Context) error {
@@ -38,5 +44,5 @@ func runPullsCheckout(cmd *cli.Context) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	return task.PullCheckout(ctx.Login, ctx.Owner, ctx.Repo, idx, interact.PromptPassword)
+	return task.PullCheckout(ctx.Login, ctx.Owner, ctx.Repo, ctx.Bool("branch"), idx, interact.PromptPassword)
 }
diff --git a/modules/git/branch.go b/modules/git/branch.go
index f359868..31c1304 100644
--- a/modules/git/branch.go
+++ b/modules/git/branch.go
@@ -38,13 +38,12 @@ func (r TeaRepo) TeaCreateBranch(localBranchName, remoteBranchName, remoteName s
 }
 
 // TeaCheckout checks out the given branch in the worktree.
-func (r TeaRepo) TeaCheckout(branchName string) error {
+func (r TeaRepo) TeaCheckout(ref git_plumbing.ReferenceName) error {
 	tree, err := r.Worktree()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	localBranchRefName := git_plumbing.NewBranchReferenceName(branchName)
-	return tree.Checkout(&git.CheckoutOptions{Branch: localBranchRefName})
+	return tree.Checkout(&git.CheckoutOptions{Branch: ref})
 }
 
 // TeaDeleteLocalBranch removes the given branch locally
diff --git a/modules/task/pull_checkout.go b/modules/task/pull_checkout.go
index fda9ec3..573b11d 100644
--- a/modules/task/pull_checkout.go
+++ b/modules/task/pull_checkout.go
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@ import (
 	local_git "code.gitea.io/tea/modules/git"
 
 	"github.com/go-git/go-git/v5"
+	git_plumbing "github.com/go-git/go-git/v5/plumbing"
 )
 
 // PullCheckout checkout current workdir to the head branch of specified pull request
-func PullCheckout(login *config.Login, repoOwner, repoName string, index int64, callback func(string) (string, error)) error {
+func PullCheckout(login *config.Login, repoOwner, repoName string, forceCreateBranch bool, index int64, callback func(string) (string, error)) error {
 	client := login.Client()
 
 	localRepo, err := local_git.RepoForWorkdir()
@@ -40,12 +41,6 @@ func PullCheckout(login *config.Login, repoOwner, repoName string, index int64,
 		remoteURL = pr.Head.Repository.SSHURL
 	}
 
-	// try to find a matching existing branch, otherwise return branch in pulls/ namespace
-	localBranchName := fmt.Sprintf("pulls/%v-%v", index, pr.Head.Ref)
-	if b, _ := localRepo.TeaFindBranchBySha(pr.Head.Sha, remoteURL); b != nil {
-		localBranchName = b.Name
-	}
-
 	newRemoteName := fmt.Sprintf("pulls/%v", pr.Head.Repository.Owner.UserName)
 
 	// verify related remote is in local repo, otherwise add it
@@ -72,15 +67,32 @@ func PullCheckout(login *config.Login, repoOwner, repoName string, index int64,
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// checkout local branch
-	err = localRepo.TeaCreateBranch(localBranchName, pr.Head.Ref, localRemoteName)
-	if err == nil {
-		fmt.Printf("Created branch '%s'\n", localBranchName)
-	} else if err == git.ErrBranchExists {
-		fmt.Println("There may be changes since you last checked out, run `git pull` to get them.")
-	} else if err != nil {
-		return err
+	var info string
+	var checkoutRef git_plumbing.ReferenceName
+
+	if b, _ := localRepo.TeaFindBranchBySha(pr.Head.Sha, remoteURL); b != nil {
+		// if a matching branch exists, use that
+		checkoutRef = git_plumbing.NewBranchReferenceName(b.Name)
+		info = fmt.Sprintf("Found matching local branch %s, checking it out", checkoutRef.Short())
+	} else if forceCreateBranch {
+		// create a branch if wanted
+		localBranchName := fmt.Sprintf("pulls/%v-%v", index, pr.Head.Ref)
+		checkoutRef = git_plumbing.NewBranchReferenceName(localBranchName)
+		if err = localRepo.TeaCreateBranch(localBranchName, pr.Head.Ref, localRemoteName); err == nil {
+			info = fmt.Sprintf("Created branch '%s'\n", localBranchName)
+		} else if err == git.ErrBranchExists {
+			info = "There may be changes since you last checked out, run `git pull` to get them."
+		} else {
+			return err
+		}
+	} else {
+		// use the remote tracking branch
+		checkoutRef = git_plumbing.NewRemoteReferenceName(localRemoteName, pr.Head.Ref)
+		info = fmt.Sprintf(
+			"Checking out remote tracking branch %s. To make changes, create a new branch:\n  git checkout %s",
+			checkoutRef.String(), pr.Head.Ref)
 	}
 
-	return localRepo.TeaCheckout(localBranchName)
+	fmt.Println(info)
+	return localRepo.TeaCheckout(checkoutRef)
 }
diff --git a/modules/task/pull_clean.go b/modules/task/pull_clean.go
index 775748b..bcefbbc 100644
--- a/modules/task/pull_clean.go
+++ b/modules/task/pull_clean.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 
 	"code.gitea.io/sdk/gitea"
 	git_config "github.com/go-git/go-git/v5/config"
+	git_plumbing "github.com/go-git/go-git/v5/plumbing"
 )
 
 // PullClean deletes local & remote feature-branches for a closed pull
@@ -76,7 +77,8 @@ call me again with the --ignore-sha flag`, remoteBranch)
 	}
 	if headRef.Name().Short() == branch.Name {
 		fmt.Printf("Checking out '%s' to delete local branch '%s'\n", defaultBranch, branch.Name)
-		if err = r.TeaCheckout(defaultBranch); err != nil {
+		ref := git_plumbing.NewBranchReferenceName(defaultBranch)
+		if err = r.TeaCheckout(ref); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}