diff --git a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/build.gradle b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/build.gradle
index cf9c37a989..d77a1e6675 100644
--- a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/build.gradle
+++ b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/build.gradle
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ plugins {
   id 'org.scm-manager.smp' version '0.7.5'
 }
 
-def jgitVersion = '5.10.0.202012080955-r-scm2'
+def jgitVersion = '5.11.1.202105131744-r-scm1'
 
 dependencies {
   // required by scm-it
diff --git a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/GitConfig.java b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/GitConfig.java
index f699093f73..2efac8451a 100644
--- a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/GitConfig.java
+++ b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/GitConfig.java
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ package sonia.scm.repository;
 
 //~--- JDK imports ------------------------------------------------------------
 
+import com.google.common.base.Strings;
+
 import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlAccessType;
 import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlAccessorType;
 import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlElement;
@@ -39,6 +41,8 @@ import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlTransient;
 @XmlAccessorType(XmlAccessType.FIELD)
 public class GitConfig extends RepositoryConfig {
 
+  private static final String FALLBACK_BRANCH = "main";
+
   @SuppressWarnings("WeakerAccess") // This might be needed for permission checking
   public static final String PERMISSION = "git";
 
@@ -49,7 +53,7 @@ public class GitConfig extends RepositoryConfig {
   private boolean nonFastForwardDisallowed;
 
   @XmlElement(name = "default-branch")
-  private String defaultBranch = "main";
+  private String defaultBranch = FALLBACK_BRANCH;
 
   public String getGcExpression() {
     return gcExpression;
@@ -68,6 +72,9 @@ public class GitConfig extends RepositoryConfig {
   }
 
   public String getDefaultBranch() {
+    if (Strings.isNullOrEmpty(defaultBranch)) {
+      return FALLBACK_BRANCH;
+    }
     return defaultBranch;
   }
 
diff --git a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitWorkingCopyInitializer.java b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitWorkingCopyInitializer.java
index 77d9399825..45df640830 100644
--- a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitWorkingCopyInitializer.java
+++ b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/main/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitWorkingCopyInitializer.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ package sonia.scm.repository.spi;
 import com.google.common.base.Stopwatch;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.api.Git;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.api.errors.GitAPIException;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.api.errors.TransportException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Constants;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
@@ -75,6 +76,13 @@ class GitWorkingCopyInitializer {
       }
 
       return new ParentAndClone<>(null, clone, target);
+    } catch (TransportException e) {
+      String message = e.getMessage();
+      if (initialBranch != null && message.contains(initialBranch) && message.contains("not found")) {
+        throw notFound(entity("Branch", initialBranch).in(context.getRepository()));
+      } else {
+        throw new InternalRepositoryException(context.getRepository(), "could not clone working copy of repository", e);
+      }
     } catch (GitAPIException | IOException e) {
       throw new InternalRepositoryException(context.getRepository(), "could not clone working copy of repository", e);
     } finally {
diff --git a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/test/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitModifyCommand_withEmptyRepositoryTest.java b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/test/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitModifyCommand_withEmptyRepositoryTest.java
index 97ab9a9776..74989cca8c 100644
--- a/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/test/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitModifyCommand_withEmptyRepositoryTest.java
+++ b/scm-plugins/scm-git-plugin/src/test/java/sonia/scm/repository/spi/GitModifyCommand_withEmptyRepositoryTest.java
@@ -60,14 +60,14 @@ public class GitModifyCommand_withEmptyRepositoryTest extends GitModifyCommandTe
   }
 
   @Test
-  public void shouldCreateCommitOnMasterByDefault() throws IOException, GitAPIException {
+  public void shouldCreateCommitOnMainByDefault() throws IOException, GitAPIException {
     createContext().getGlobalConfig().setDefaultBranch("");
 
     executeModifyCommand();
 
     try (Git git = new Git(createContext().open())) {
       List<Ref> branches = git.branchList().call();
-      assertThat(branches).extracting("name").containsExactly("refs/heads/master");
+      assertThat(branches).extracting("name").containsExactly("refs/heads/main");
     }
   }