diff --git a/cmd/checkout.go b/cmd/checkout.go
index 4f16cb4..8adbe80 100644
--- a/cmd/checkout.go
+++ b/cmd/checkout.go
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ func newCheckoutCommand() (c *cobra.Command) {
 	flags.StringVarP(&opt.remote, "remote", "", "origin", "The remote name")
 	flags.StringVarP(&opt.sshPrivateKey, "ssh-private-key", "", "$HOME/.ssh/id_rsa",
 		"The SSH private key file path")
-	flags.StringVarP(&opt.branch, "branch", "", "master", "The branch want to checkout")
+	flags.StringVarP(&opt.branch, "branch", "b", "master", "The branch want to checkout. It could be a short name or fullname. Such as master or refs/heads/master")
 	flags.StringVarP(&opt.tag, "tag", "", "", "The tag want to checkout")
-	flags.IntVarP(&opt.pr, "pr", "", -1, "The pr number want to checkout, -1 means do nothing")
+	flags.IntVarP(&opt.pr, "pr", "p", -1, "The pr number want to checkout, -1 means do nothing")
 	flags.StringVarP(&opt.target, "target", "", ".", "Clone git repository to the target path")
 	flags.StringVarP(&opt.versionOutput, "version-output", "", "", "Write the version to target file")
 	return
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ func (o *checkoutOption) preRunE(c *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
 	if o.url == "" && len(args) > 0 {
 		o.url = args[0]
 	}
+	o.branch = strings.TrimPrefix(o.branch, "refs/heads/")
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/checkout_test.go b/cmd/checkout_test.go
index 549a173..75a6610 100644
--- a/cmd/checkout_test.go
+++ b/cmd/checkout_test.go
@@ -84,3 +84,50 @@ func TestGetAuth(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Nil(t, auth)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 }
+
+func TestPreRunE(t *testing.T) {
+	const sampleGit = "https://github.com/linuxsuren/gogit"
+	const anotherGit = "https://github.com/linuxsuren/gogit.git"
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name      string
+		opt       *checkoutOption
+		args      []string
+		expectErr bool
+		verify    func(t *testing.T, opt *checkoutOption)
+	}{{
+		name:      "url is empty",
+		opt:       &checkoutOption{},
+		args:      []string{sampleGit},
+		expectErr: false,
+		verify: func(t *testing.T, opt *checkoutOption) {
+			assert.Equal(t, sampleGit, opt.url)
+		},
+	}, {
+		name:      "url is not empty",
+		opt:       &checkoutOption{url: anotherGit},
+		args:      []string{sampleGit},
+		expectErr: false,
+		verify: func(t *testing.T, opt *checkoutOption) {
+			assert.Equal(t, anotherGit, opt.url)
+		},
+	}, {
+		name:      "branch is fullname",
+		opt:       &checkoutOption{branch: "refs/heads/master"},
+		expectErr: false,
+		verify: func(t *testing.T, opt *checkoutOption) {
+			assert.Equal(t, "master", opt.branch)
+		},
+	}}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			err := tt.opt.preRunE(nil, tt.args)
+			if tt.expectErr {
+				assert.NotNil(t, err)
+			} else {
+				assert.Nil(t, err)
+			}
+			tt.verify(t, tt.opt)
+		})
+	}
+}