diff --git a/crafting_table/workspace.py b/crafting_table/workspace.py
index 2e310f8..878049c 100644
--- a/crafting_table/workspace.py
+++ b/crafting_table/workspace.py
@@ -106,6 +106,14 @@ class WorkspaceManager:
                     ["config", "remote.origin.fetch", "+refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*"],
                     log_fh, cwd=str(paths.cache_dir),
                 )
+                # `git clone --bare` populates refs/heads/* but NOT
+                # refs/remotes/origin/* — we need an explicit fetch to
+                # materialize the remote-tracking refs the worktree-add
+                # below will use.
+                await _git(
+                    ["fetch", "--prune", "origin", "+refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*"],
+                    log_fh, cwd=str(paths.cache_dir),
+                )
             else:
                 log_fh.write(f"[workspace] fetching latest into {paths.cache_dir}\n")
                 log_fh.flush()