diff --git a/Documentation/git-fast-import.txt b/Documentation/git-fast-import.txt
index 939ec4652bea90888006adf7fd6860e43c5439ed..445f6b854404c33b970004b791721be2986cf4bf 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-fast-import.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-fast-import.txt
@@ -349,17 +349,16 @@ their syntax.
 
 `from`
 ^^^^^^
-Only valid for the first commit made on this branch by this
-fast-import process.  The `from` command is used to specify the commit
-to initialize this branch from.  This revision will be the first
-ancestor of the new commit.
-
-Omitting the `from` command in the first commit of a new branch will
-cause fast-import to create that commit with no ancestor. This tends to be
-desired only for the initial commit of a project.  Omitting the
-`from` command on existing branches is required, as the current
-commit on that branch is automatically assumed to be the first
-ancestor of the new commit.
+The `from` command is used to specify the commit to initialize
+this branch from.  This revision will be the first ancestor of the
+new commit.
+
+Omitting the `from` command in the first commit of a new branch
+will cause fast-import to create that commit with no ancestor. This
+tends to be desired only for the initial commit of a project.
+Omitting the `from` command on existing branches is usually desired,
+as the current commit on that branch is automatically assumed to
+be the first ancestor of the new commit.
 
 As `LF` is not valid in a Git refname or SHA-1 expression, no
 quoting or escaping syntax is supported within `<committish>`.
diff --git a/fast-import.c b/fast-import.c
index f9cfc726371c34a175eecb6cbc218dcb300164b7..fd3b11757498d504b3954f70c602603d65277440 100644
--- a/fast-import.c
+++ b/fast-import.c
@@ -1667,8 +1667,10 @@ static void cmd_from(struct branch *b)
 	if (strncmp("from ", command_buf.buf, 5))
 		return;
 
-	if (b->last_commit)
-		die("Can't reinitailize branch %s", b->name);
+	if (b->branch_tree.tree) {
+		release_tree_content_recursive(b->branch_tree.tree);
+		b->branch_tree.tree = NULL;
+	}
 
 	from = strchr(command_buf.buf, ' ') + 1;
 	s = lookup_branch(from);
@@ -1936,7 +1938,9 @@ static void cmd_reset_branch(void)
 	sp = strchr(command_buf.buf, ' ') + 1;
 	b = lookup_branch(sp);
 	if (b) {
-		b->last_commit = 0;
+		hashclr(b->sha1);
+		hashclr(b->branch_tree.versions[0].sha1);
+		hashclr(b->branch_tree.versions[1].sha1);
 		if (b->branch_tree.tree) {
 			release_tree_content_recursive(b->branch_tree.tree);
 			b->branch_tree.tree = NULL;
diff --git a/t/t9300-fast-import.sh b/t/t9300-fast-import.sh
index 8d28211294af7e2c7e6de501d4f54f124b869fc2..970d683650f5ee6b99a07ff10063710292b28ed1 100755
--- a/t/t9300-fast-import.sh
+++ b/t/t9300-fast-import.sh
@@ -433,4 +433,64 @@ test_expect_success \
 	'sed -e s/pack-.*pack/pack-.pack/ edges.list >actual &&
 	 diff -u expect actual'
 
+###
+### series J
+###
+
+cat >input <<INPUT_END
+commit refs/heads/J
+committer $GIT_COMMITTER_NAME <$GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL> $GIT_COMMITTER_DATE
+data <<COMMIT
+create J
+COMMIT
+
+from refs/heads/branch
+
+reset refs/heads/J
+
+commit refs/heads/J
+committer $GIT_COMMITTER_NAME <$GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL> $GIT_COMMITTER_DATE
+data <<COMMIT
+initialize J
+COMMIT
+
+INPUT_END
+test_expect_success \
+    'J: reset existing branch creates empty commit' \
+    'git-fast-import <input'
+test_expect_success \
+	'J: branch has 1 commit, empty tree' \
+	'test 1 = `git-rev-list J | wc -l` &&
+	 test 0 = `git ls-tree J | wc -l`'
+
+###
+### series K
+###
+
+cat >input <<INPUT_END
+commit refs/heads/K
+committer $GIT_COMMITTER_NAME <$GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL> $GIT_COMMITTER_DATE
+data <<COMMIT
+create K
+COMMIT
+
+from refs/heads/branch
+
+commit refs/heads/K
+committer $GIT_COMMITTER_NAME <$GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL> $GIT_COMMITTER_DATE
+data <<COMMIT
+redo K
+COMMIT
+
+from refs/heads/branch^1
+
+INPUT_END
+test_expect_success \
+    'K: reinit branch with from' \
+    'git-fast-import <input'
+test_expect_success \
+    'K: verify K^1 = branch^1' \
+    'test `git-rev-parse --verify branch^1` \
+		= `git-rev-parse --verify K^1`'
+
 test_done