diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ccd689e..7aadd63 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "dugite-extra",
-  "version": "0.1.13",
+  "version": "0.1.14",
   "description": "High-level Git commands for dugite.",
   "main": "lib/index",
   "typings": "lib/index",
diff --git a/src/command/branch.spec.ts b/src/command/branch.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b095e98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/command/branch.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+import * as temp from 'temp';
+import * as fs from 'fs-extra';
+import *  as Path from 'path';
+import { expect } from 'chai';
+import { createCommit } from './commit';
+import { initRepository } from './test-helper';
+import { git } from '../core/git';
+import { listBranch, createBranch } from './branch';
+import { IGitResult } from 'dugite-no-gpl';
+
+const track = temp.track();
+
+let path: string;
+
+const createAndCommit = async (filename: string, message: string): Promise<void> => {
+    fs.createFileSync(Path.join(path, filename));
+
+    await git(['add', '.'], path, 'add');
+    await createCommit(path, message);
+}
+const getCommitIds = async (repoPath: string): Promise<string[]> => {
+    let log: IGitResult;
+    try {
+        log = await git(['log', '--pretty=%H'], repoPath, 'log');
+        return log.stdout.trim().split('\n');
+    } catch (e) {
+        if (e.name === 'GitError' && e.result && e.result.exitCode && e.result.exitCode === 128) {
+            // git log on repo with no commits throws an error
+            return [];
+        } else {
+            throw e;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+describe('branch', async () => {
+
+    beforeEach(async () => {
+        path = track.mkdirSync('branch');
+        await initRepository(path);
+    });
+
+    afterEach((done: ((err: any, result: temp.Stats) => void)) => {
+        track.cleanup(done);
+    });
+
+    it('no branch before first commit', async () => {
+        const localBranches = await listBranch(path, 'all');
+        expect(localBranches.length).to.be.equal(0);
+
+        const currentBranch = await listBranch(path, 'current');
+        expect(currentBranch).to.be.undefined;
+    });
+
+    it('only master branch after first commit', async () => {
+        await createAndCommit('some-file.txt', 'first commit');
+
+        const localBranches = await listBranch(path, 'all');
+        expect(localBranches.length).to.be.equal(1);
+        expect(localBranches[0].name).to.be.equal('master');
+
+        const curretnBranch = await listBranch(path, 'current');
+        expect(curretnBranch).to.not.be.undefined;
+        expect(curretnBranch!.name).to.be.equal('master');
+    });
+
+    it('new branch is selected on creation if checkout is true', async () => {
+        await createAndCommit('some-file.txt', 'first commit');
+
+        const newBranch = 'branch1';
+        await createBranch(path, newBranch, { checkout: true });
+
+        const localBranches = await listBranch(path, 'all');
+        expect(localBranches.length).to.be.equal(2);
+        expect(localBranches[0].name).to.be.equal('master');
+        expect(localBranches[1].name).to.be.equal(newBranch);
+
+        const currentBranch = await listBranch(path, 'current');
+        expect(currentBranch).to.not.be.undefined;
+        expect(currentBranch!.name).to.be.equal(newBranch);
+    });
+
+    it('new branch is not selected on creation if checkout is false', async () => {
+        await createAndCommit('some-file.txt', 'first commit');
+
+        const newBranch = 'branch1';
+        await createBranch(path, newBranch);
+
+        const localBranches = await listBranch(path, 'all');
+        expect(localBranches.length).to.be.equal(2);
+        expect(localBranches[0].name).to.be.equal('master');
+        expect(localBranches[1].name).to.be.equal(newBranch);
+
+        const currentBranch = await listBranch(path, 'current');
+        expect(currentBranch).to.not.be.undefined;
+        expect(currentBranch!.name).to.be.equal('master');
+    });
+
+    it('new branch is not created until first commit', async () => {
+        const newBranch = 'branch1';
+        await createBranch(path, newBranch, { checkout: true });
+
+        const localBranches = await listBranch(path, 'all');
+        expect(localBranches.length).to.be.equal(0);
+    });
+
+    it('new branch is created on first commit in place of master if checkout is true', async () => {
+        const newBranch = 'branch1';
+        await createBranch(path, newBranch, { checkout: true });
+
+        await createAndCommit('some-file.txt', 'first commit');
+
+        const localBranches = await listBranch(path, 'all');
+        expect(localBranches.length).to.be.equal(1);
+        expect(localBranches[0].name).to.be.equal(newBranch);
+
+        const currentBranch = await listBranch(path, 'current');
+        expect(currentBranch).to.not.be.undefined;
+        expect(currentBranch!.name).to.be.equal(newBranch);
+    });
+
+    it('a new branch cannot be created before master if checkout is false', async () => {
+        const newBranch = 'branch1';
+        try {
+            await createBranch(path, newBranch);
+            expect.fail('An error should have been thrown by createBranch');
+        } catch (e) {
+            if (e.name === 'GitError' && e.result && e.result.exitCode && e.result.exitCode === 128) {
+                // git branch on repo with no commits should throw an error
+            } else {
+                expect.fail('createBranch failed with an unexpected error')
+            }
+        }
+    });
+
+    it('new branch is created on correct start point', async () => {
+        await createAndCommit('some-file.txt', 'first commit');
+
+        const commitIds = await getCommitIds(path);
+        const firstCommitId = commitIds[0];
+
+        await createAndCommit('other-text.txt', 'second commit');
+
+        const newBranch = 'branch1';
+        await createBranch(path, newBranch, { startPoint: firstCommitId, checkout: true });
+
+        const localBranches = await listBranch(path, 'all');
+        expect(localBranches.length).to.be.equal(2);
+
+        const currentBranch = await listBranch(path, 'current');
+        expect(currentBranch).to.not.be.undefined;
+        expect(currentBranch!.name).to.be.equal(newBranch);
+
+        const newCommitIds = await getCommitIds(path);
+        expect(newCommitIds[0]).to.be.equal(firstCommitId);
+    });
+
+});
diff --git a/src/command/branch.ts b/src/command/branch.ts
index eeff25a..08701c2 100644
--- a/src/command/branch.ts
+++ b/src/command/branch.ts
@@ -51,9 +51,15 @@ export async function listBranch(repositoryPath: string, type: 'current' | 'loca
     }
 }
 
-export async function createBranch(repositoryPath: string, name: string, createOptions?: { startPoint?: string }, options?: IGitExecutionOptions): Promise<void> {
+export async function createBranch(
+    repositoryPath: string,
+    name: string,
+    createOptions?: { startPoint?: string, checkout?: boolean },
+    options?: IGitExecutionOptions): Promise<void> {
+
     const startPoint = createOptions ? createOptions.startPoint : undefined;
-    const args = ['branch', name];
+    const checkout = createOptions ? createOptions.checkout : false;
+    const args = checkout ? ['checkout', '-b', name] : ['branch', name];
     if (startPoint) {
         args.push(startPoint);
     }
@@ -119,4 +125,4 @@ async function getBranches(repositoryPath: string, prefixes: string[], options?:
         const type = ref.startsWith('refs/head') ? BranchType.Local : BranchType.Remote;
         return new Branch(name, upstream.length > 0 ? upstream : undefined, tip, type);
     });
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}