diff --git a/src/branches.cpp b/src/branches.cpp
index 083709b2..a6118d20 100644
--- a/src/branches.cpp
+++ b/src/branches.cpp
@@ -194,8 +194,19 @@ namespace l
       paths.push_back(glob);
 
     fs::realpathize(&paths);
-    for(auto &path : paths)
+    for(const auto &path : paths)
       {
+        bool is_dir;
+        std::error_code ec;
+
+        is_dir = ghc::filesystem::is_directory(path,ec);
+        if(!ec && !is_dir)
+          {
+            syslog_notice("branch path '%s' is not a directory, ignoring",
+                          path.c_str());
+            continue;
+          }
+        
         branch.path = path;
         branches_->push_back(branch);
       }
diff --git a/src/branches.hpp b/src/branches.hpp
index a8ef781a..a13d4803 100644
--- a/src/branches.hpp
+++ b/src/branches.hpp
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ public:
   operator CPtr()   const { std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lg(_mutex); return _impl; }
   CPtr operator->() const { std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lg(_mutex); return _impl; }
 
+  Ptr operator->() { std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lg(_mutex); return _impl; }  
+
 public:
   void find_and_set_mode_ro();