diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index bab47c8b..d6ac886e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Changed
+- log tab refreshes when head changes ([#78](https://github.com/extrawurst/gitui/issues/78))
+
 ## [0.3.0] - 2020-05-20
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/asyncgit/src/revlog.rs b/asyncgit/src/revlog.rs
index 0f15383c..68ddf48c 100644
--- a/asyncgit/src/revlog.rs
+++ b/asyncgit/src/revlog.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
-use crate::{error::Result, sync, AsyncNotification, CWD};
+use crate::{
+    error::Result,
+    sync::{utils::repo, LogWalker},
+    AsyncNotification, CWD,
+};
 use crossbeam_channel::Sender;
 use git2::Oid;
+use log::debug;
 use scopetime::scope_time;
 use std::{
     iter::FromIterator,
@@ -9,7 +14,6 @@ use std::{
         Arc, Mutex,
     },
 };
-use sync::{utils::repo, LogWalker};
 
 ///
 pub struct AsyncLog {
@@ -54,23 +58,46 @@ impl AsyncLog {
         self.pending.load(Ordering::Relaxed)
     }
 
+    ///
+    fn current_head(&self) -> Result<Oid> {
+        Ok(self.current.lock()?.first().map_or(Oid::zero(), |f| *f))
+    }
+
+    ///
+    fn head_changed(&self) -> Result<bool> {
+        if let Ok(head) = repo(CWD)?.head() {
+            if let Some(head) = head.target() {
+                debug!(
+                    "repo head vs current log head: {} vs. {}",
+                    head,
+                    self.current_head()?
+                );
+                return Ok(head != self.current_head()?);
+            }
+        }
+        Ok(false)
+    }
+
     ///
     pub fn fetch(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
         if !self.is_pending() {
-            self.clear()?;
+            if self.head_changed()? {
+                self.clear()?;
 
-            let arc_current = Arc::clone(&self.current);
-            let sender = self.sender.clone();
-            let arc_pending = Arc::clone(&self.pending);
+                let arc_current = Arc::clone(&self.current);
+                let sender = self.sender.clone();
+                let arc_pending = Arc::clone(&self.pending);
 
-            rayon_core::spawn(move || {
-                scope_time!("async::revlog");
-                arc_pending.store(true, Ordering::Relaxed);
-                AsyncLog::fetch_helper(arc_current, &sender)
-                    .expect("failed to fetch");
-                arc_pending.store(false, Ordering::Relaxed);
-                Self::notify(&sender);
-            });
+                rayon_core::spawn(move || {
+                    scope_time!("async::revlog");
+
+                    arc_pending.store(true, Ordering::Relaxed);
+                    AsyncLog::fetch_helper(arc_current, &sender)
+                        .expect("failed to fetch");
+                    arc_pending.store(false, Ordering::Relaxed);
+                    Self::notify(&sender);
+                });
+            }
         }
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index 13df31d7..5c18c64f 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -137,10 +137,11 @@ impl App {
     }
 
     //TODO: do we need this?
-    ///
+    /// forward ticking to components that require it
     pub fn update(&mut self) {
         trace!("update");
         self.status_tab.update();
+        self.revlog.update();
     }
 
     ///
diff --git a/src/tabs/revlog/mod.rs b/src/tabs/revlog/mod.rs
index c7e1a88b..836ac651 100644
--- a/src/tabs/revlog/mod.rs
+++ b/src/tabs/revlog/mod.rs
@@ -72,9 +72,15 @@ impl Revlog {
 
     ///
     pub fn update(&mut self) {
+        if self.visible {
+            self.git_log.fetch().unwrap();
+        }
+
+        let old_total = self.count_total;
         self.count_total = self.git_log.count().unwrap();
 
         if self.items.needs_data(self.selection, self.selection_max())
+            || old_total != self.count_total
         {
             self.fetch_commits();
         }