diff --git a/clone_test.go b/clone_test.go
index 8814dd0..c6ea504 100644
--- a/clone_test.go
+++ b/clone_test.go
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 package git
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
+	"net"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -70,3 +73,21 @@ func TestCloneWithCallback(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	defer remote.Free()
 }
+
+// TestCloneWithExternalHTTPSUrl warning: this test might be flaky
+func TestCloneWithExternalHTTPSUrl(t *testing.T) {
+	// fail the test, if the URL is not reachable
+	timeout := 1 * time.Second
+	_, err := net.DialTimeout("tcp", "github.com:443", timeout)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("Site unreachable, retry later, error: ", err)
+	}
+
+	url := "https://github.com/libgit2/git2go.git"
+	fmt.Println(url)
+	path, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "git2go")
+	_, err = Clone(url, path, &CloneOptions{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("cannot clone remote repo via https, error: ", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/transport.go b/transport.go
index 525c704..23514b4 100644
--- a/transport.go
+++ b/transport.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ void _go_git_setup_smart_subtransport_stream(_go_managed_smart_subtransport_stre
 */
 import "C"
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"reflect"
@@ -306,10 +305,10 @@ func smartTransportCallback(
 	registeredSmartTransport := pointerHandles.Get(handle).(*RegisteredSmartTransport)
 	remote, ok := remotePointers.get(owner)
 	if !ok {
-		err := errors.New("remote pointer not found")
+		// create a new empty remote and set it
+		// as a weak pointer, so that control stays in golang
 		remote = createNewEmptyRemote()
 		remote.weak = true
-		return setCallbackError(errorMessage, err)
 	}
 
 	managed := &managedSmartSubtransport{