diff --git a/lib/git-subrepo b/lib/git-subrepo
index 68918cbe..9f082f55 100755
--- a/lib/git-subrepo
+++ b/lib/git-subrepo
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ main() {
   local subrepo_branch=         # Upstream branch to clone/push/pull
   local subrepo_commit=         # Upstream HEAD from previous clone/pull
   local subrepo_parent=         # Local commit from before previous clone/pull
+  local subrepo_push_parent=    # Local commit from before previous push
   local subrepo_former=         # A retired gitrepo key that might still exist
 
   local refs_subrepo_branch=    # A subrepo ref -> commit of branch/pull command
@@ -494,7 +495,7 @@ subrepo:clone() {
 
   o "Commit the new '$subdir/' content."
   subrepo_commit_ref="$upstream_head_commit"
-  CALL subrepo:commit
+  CALL subrepo:commit clone		
 }
 
 # Init a new subrepo from current repo:
@@ -581,7 +582,7 @@ subrepo:push() {
     if ! OK; then
       # Check if we are pushing to a new upstream repo (or branch) and just
       # push the commit directly. This is common after a `git subrepo init`:
-      local re="(^|"$'\n'")fatal: Couldn't find remote ref "
+      local re="(^|"$'\n'")fatal: [Cc]ouldn't find remote ref "
       if [[ $output =~ $re ]]; then
         o "Pushing to new upstream: $subrepo_remote ($subrepo_branch)."
         new_upstream=true
@@ -604,10 +605,12 @@ subrepo:push() {
     if $squash_wanted; then
       o "Squash commits"
       subrepo_parent="HEAD^"
+		elif [ -n "$subrepo_push_parent" ]; then
+			subrepo_parent=$subrepo_push_parent
     fi
 
     o "Create subrepo branch '$branch_name'."
-    CALL subrepo:branch "$branch_name"
+    CALL subrepo:branch "$branch_name" 
     cd "$worktree";
 
     if [[ "$join_method" == "rebase" ]]; then
@@ -668,7 +671,9 @@ subrepo:push() {
   o "Put updates into '$subdir/.gitrepo' file."
   upstream_head_commit="$new_upstream_head_commit"
   subrepo_commit_ref="$upstream_head_commit"
-  update-gitrepo-file
+  update-gitrepo-file "push"
+	# RUN git config --file="$gitrepo" subrepo.push-parent "$original_head_commit"
+	# RUN git add  -f -- "$gitrepo"
   RUN git commit -m "$(get-commit-message)"
 }
 
@@ -693,6 +698,7 @@ subrepo:fetch() {
 # Create a subrepo branch containing all changes
 subrepo:branch() {
   local branch="${1:-"subrepo/$subref"}"
+				
   o "Check if the '$branch' branch already exists."
   git:branch-exists "$branch" && return
 
@@ -704,7 +710,7 @@ subrepo:branch() {
     local prev_commit=
     local ancestor=
     o "Create new commits with parents into the subrepo fetch"
-    OUT=true RUN git rev-list --reverse --ancestry-path "$subrepo_parent..HEAD"
+    OUT=true RUN git rev-list --reverse --ancestry-path --topo-order "$subrepo_parent..HEAD"
     local commit_list="$output"
     for commit in $commit_list; do
       o "Working on $commit"
@@ -807,6 +813,7 @@ subrepo:branch() {
 
 # Commit a merged subrepo branch:
 subrepo:commit() {
+	local is_clone=$1
   o "Check that '$subrepo_commit_ref' exists."
   git:rev-exists "$subrepo_commit_ref" ||
     error "Commit ref '$subrepo_commit_ref' does not exist."
@@ -829,8 +836,14 @@ subrepo:commit() {
   RUN git read-tree --prefix="$subdir" -u "$subrepo_commit_ref"
 
   o "Put info into '$subdir/.gitrepo' file."
-  update-gitrepo-file
-  RUN git add -f -- "$gitrepo"
+	local push_update=
+  [ "$is_clone" == "clone" ] && push_update="push"
+  update-gitrepo-file "$push_update"
+
+	# if [ "$is_clone" == "clone" ]; then
+	# 	RUN git config --file="$gitrepo" subrepo.push-parent "$original_head_commit"
+	# fi
+  # RUN git add -f -- "$gitrepo"
 
   local commit_message
   if [[ -n "$wanted_commit_message" ]]; then
@@ -931,6 +944,10 @@ subrepo:status() {
       printf "  Former Commit:   $(git rev-parse --short $subrepo_former)"
       echo " *** DEPRECATED ***"
     fi
+    [[ -n $subrepo_push_parent ]] &&
+      echo "  Push Parent:     $(git rev-parse --short $subrepo_push_parent)"
+
+			
 
     # Grep for directory, branch can be in detached state due to conflicts
     local _worktree=$(git worktree list | grep "$GIT_TMP/subrepo/$subdir")
@@ -1322,6 +1339,10 @@ read-gitrepo-file() {
   SAY=false OUT=true RUN git config --file="$gitrepo" subrepo.parent
   subrepo_parent="$output"
 
+  FAIL=false \
+  SAY=false OUT=true RUN git config --file="$gitrepo" subrepo.push-parent
+  subrepo_push_parent="$output"
+
   FAIL=false \
   SAY=false OUT=true RUN git config --file="$gitrepo" subrepo.method
   if [[ $output == "rebase" ]]; then
@@ -1342,7 +1363,8 @@ read-gitrepo-file() {
 # Update the subdir/.gitrepo state file:
 update-gitrepo-file() {
   local short_commit=
-
+  local is_push=$1
+	
   local newfile=false
   if [[ ! -e $gitrepo ]]; then
 
@@ -1374,13 +1396,22 @@ update-gitrepo-file() {
   fi
 
   RUN git config --file="$gitrepo" subrepo.commit "$upstream_head_commit"
+	o " upstream_head_commit:'$upstream_head_commit', subrepo_commit_ref='$subrepo_commit_ref'"
+
   # Only write new parent when we are at the head of upstream
-  if [[ -n $upstream_head_commit && -n $subrepo_commit_ref ]]; then
-    OUT=true RUN git rev-parse "$subrepo_commit_ref"
-    o "$upstream_head_commit == $output"
-    if [[ $upstream_head_commit == $output ]]; then
-      RUN git config --file="$gitrepo" subrepo.parent "$original_head_commit"
-    fi
+  if [[ -n $upstream_head_commit && -n $subrepo_commit_ref && -n $original_head_commit ]]; then
+		#
+		# srg: this check prevents from updating the parent after pull
+		#
+    # OUT=true RUN git rev-parse "$subrepo_commit_ref"
+    # o "$upstream_head_commit == $output"
+    # if [[ $upstream_head_commit == $output ]]; then
+
+		RUN git config --file="$gitrepo" subrepo.parent "$original_head_commit"
+		if [ "$is_push" == "push" ]; then
+				RUN git config --file="$gitrepo" subrepo.push-parent "$original_head_commit"
+		fi
+		#fi
   fi
 
   [[ -z $join_method ]] && join_method="merge"
diff --git a/test/error.t b/test/error.t
index 0e3100d3..d166ab24 100644
--- a/test/error.t
+++ b/test/error.t
@@ -117,8 +117,14 @@ clone-foo-and-bar
 
 {
   is "$(
-      cd .git
-      catch git subrepo status
+     # the test was failing inside a submodule. there is no .git directory, just a ref
+     if [ -d .git ]; then
+	 	cd .git
+	 else
+		cd $(git rev-parse --git-dir)
+	 fi 		 
+
+     catch git subrepo status
     )" \
     "git-subrepo: Can't 'subrepo status' outside a working tree." \
     "Error OK: check inside working tree"
diff --git a/test/pull-merge.t b/test/pull-merge.t
index 285a798b..e542e965 100644
--- a/test/pull-merge.t
+++ b/test/pull-merge.t
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ gitrepo=$OWNER/foo/bar/.gitrepo
   test-gitrepo-field "parent" "$foo_pull_commit"
 }
 
-foo_pull_commit="$(cd $OWNER/foo; git rev-parse HEAD)"
+## i think this wrong and the parent should be moved after the pull
+#foo_pull_commit="$(cd $OWNER/foo; git rev-parse HEAD)"
 
 (
   cd $OWNER/foo
@@ -36,6 +37,9 @@ foo_pull_commit="$(cd $OWNER/foo; git rev-parse HEAD)"
   git push
 ) &> /dev/null || die
 
+#this is the right place
+foo_pull_commit="$(cd $OWNER/foo; git rev-parse HEAD)"
+
 (
   cd $OWNER/bar
   modify-files-ex Bar2
diff --git a/test/status.t b/test/status.t
index b6a7fe61..c296616f 100644
--- a/test/status.t
+++ b/test/status.t
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ set -e
 source test/setup
 
 use Test::More
+ echo "===> $0: $PWD <===" > /dev/tty
 
 {
   output="$(git subrepo status)"