diff --git a/merge.go b/merge.go
index 48d99fd..8dcc716 100644
--- a/merge.go
+++ b/merge.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package repostatus
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -26,6 +27,39 @@ func (rs *RepoStatus) ResetBranches() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+func (rs *RepoStatus) FetchMaster() (error, string) {
+	// log.Log(REPOWARN, "FetchMaster() start", rs.Name())
+	master := rs.GetMasterBranchName()
+	return rs.fetchBranch(master)
+}
+
+func (rs *RepoStatus) FetchDevel() (error, string) {
+	devel := rs.GetDevelBranchName()
+	return rs.fetchBranch(devel)
+}
+
+// fetch the branch 'apple'
+func (rs *RepoStatus) fetchBranch(apple string) (error, string) {
+	if rs.GetCurrentBranchName() != rs.GetUserBranchName() {
+		return errors.New("not in user branch"), ""
+	}
+	if rs.gitConfig == nil {
+		return errors.New("missing .git/config"), ""
+	}
+	log.Log(REPOWARN, rs.Name(), "looking for branch:", apple)
+	for name, branch := range rs.gitConfig.branches {
+		if name == apple {
+			// found the branch!
+			log.Log(REPOWARN, "  ", name, "remote:", branch.remote, "merge", branch.merge)
+			cmd := []string{"git", "fetch", branch.remote, apple + ":" + apple}
+			log.Log(REPOWARN, "running:", rs.Name(), cmd)
+			err, out := rs.RunCmd(cmd)
+			return err, out
+		}
+	}
+	return errors.New("branch " + apple + " not found"), ""
+}
+
 func (rs *RepoStatus) MergeUserToDevel() bool {
 	startbranch := rs.GetCurrentBranchName()
 	devel := rs.GetDevelBranchName()