diff --git a/reference.go b/reference.go
index a2f1636..4a839a7 100644
--- a/reference.go
+++ b/reference.go
@@ -134,6 +134,17 @@ func (v *Reference) Delete() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Cmp compares both references, retursn 0 on equality, otherwise a
+// stable sorting.
+func (v *Reference) Cmp(ref2 *Reference) int {
+	return int(C.git_reference_cmp(v.ptr, ref2.ptr))
+}
+
+// Shorthand returns a "human-readable" short reference name
+func (v *Reference) Shorthand() string {
+	return C.GoString(C.git_reference_shorthand(v.ptr))
+}
+
 func (v *Reference) Name() string {
 	return C.GoString(C.git_reference_name(v.ptr))
 }
diff --git a/reference_test.go b/reference_test.go
index 156960a..ffa9f35 100644
--- a/reference_test.go
+++ b/reference_test.go
@@ -159,6 +159,33 @@ func TestIterator(t *testing.T) {
 	compareStringList(t, expected, list)
 }
 
+func TestUtil(t *testing.T) {
+	repo := createTestRepo(t)
+	defer os.RemoveAll(repo.Workdir())
+
+	commitId, _ := seedTestRepo(t, repo)
+
+	ref, err := repo.CreateReference("refs/heads/foo", commitId, true, nil, "")
+	checkFatal(t, err)
+
+	ref2, err := repo.DwimReference("foo")
+	checkFatal(t, err)
+
+	if ref.Cmp(ref2) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("foo didn't dwim to the right thing")
+	}
+
+	if ref.Shorthand() != "foo" {
+		t.Fatalf("refs/heads/foo has no foo shorthand")
+	}
+
+	hasLog, err := repo.HasLog("refs/heads/foo")
+	checkFatal(t, err)
+	if !hasLog {
+		t.Fatalf("branches ahve logs by default")
+	}
+}
+
 func compareStringList(t *testing.T, expected, actual []string) {
 	for i, v := range expected {
 		if actual[i] != v {
diff --git a/repository.go b/repository.go
index 48c2b46..5f0cd0b 100644
--- a/repository.go
+++ b/repository.go
@@ -331,3 +331,52 @@ func (v *Repository) RevparseSingle(spec string) (Object, error) {
 
 	return allocObject(ptr), nil
 }
+
+// EnsureLog ensures that there is a reflog for the given reference
+// name and creates an empty one if necessary.
+func (v *Repository) EnsureLog(name string) error {
+	cname := C.CString(name)
+	defer C.free(unsafe.Pointer(cname))
+
+	runtime.LockOSThread()
+	defer runtime.UnlockOSThread()
+
+	if ret := C.git_reference_ensure_log(v.ptr, cname); ret < 0 {
+		return LastError()
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// HasLog returns whether there is a reflog for the given reference
+// name
+func (v *Repository) HasLog(name string) (bool, error) {
+	cname := C.CString(name)
+	defer C.free(unsafe.Pointer(cname))
+
+	runtime.LockOSThread()
+	defer runtime.UnlockOSThread()
+
+	ret := C.git_reference_has_log(v.ptr, cname)
+	if ret < 0 {
+		return false, LastError()
+	}
+
+	return ret == 1, nil
+}
+
+// DwimReference looks up a reference by DWIMing its short name
+func (v *Repository) DwimReference(name string) (*Reference, error) {
+	cname := C.CString(name)
+	defer C.free(unsafe.Pointer(cname))
+
+	runtime.LockOSThread()
+	defer runtime.UnlockOSThread()
+
+	var ptr *C.git_reference
+	if ret := C.git_reference_dwim(&ptr, v.ptr, cname); ret < 0 {
+		return nil, LastError()
+	}
+
+	return newReferenceFromC(ptr), nil
+}