diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index e3ab6a5e92..d936986a77 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ v 6.8.0
   - Remove omniauth-ldap nickname bug workaround
   - Drop all tables before restoring a Postgres backup
   - Make the repository downloads path configurable
+  - Create branches via API (sponsored by O'Reilly Media)
 
 v 6.7.2
   - Fix upgrader script
diff --git a/app/controllers/projects/branches_controller.rb b/app/controllers/projects/branches_controller.rb
index aa6914414c..6a6cbe4818 100644
--- a/app/controllers/projects/branches_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/projects/branches_controller.rb
@@ -16,11 +16,7 @@ class Projects::BranchesController < Projects::ApplicationController
   end
 
   def create
-    @repository.add_branch(params[:branch_name], params[:ref])
-
-    if new_branch = @repository.find_branch(params[:branch_name])
-      Event.create_ref_event(@project, current_user, new_branch, 'add')
-    end
+    CreateBranchService.new.execute(project, params[:branch_name], params[:ref], current_user)
 
     redirect_to project_branches_path(@project)
   end
diff --git a/app/services/create_branch_service.rb b/app/services/create_branch_service.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..98beeee835
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/services/create_branch_service.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+class CreateBranchService
+  def execute(project, branch_name, ref, current_user)
+    repository = project.repository
+    repository.add_branch(branch_name, ref)
+    new_branch = repository.find_branch(branch_name)
+
+    if new_branch
+      Event.create_ref_event(project, current_user, new_branch, 'add')
+    end
+
+    new_branch
+  end
+end
diff --git a/doc/api/branches.md b/doc/api/branches.md
index a62f9e38a9..3417a69507 100644
--- a/doc/api/branches.md
+++ b/doc/api/branches.md
@@ -165,3 +165,34 @@ Parameters:
   "protected": false
 }
 ```
+
+## Create repository branch
+
+
+```
+POST /projects/:id/repository/branches
+```
+
+Parameters:
+
++ `id` (required) - The ID of a project
++  `branch_name` (required) - The name of the branch
++  `ref` (required) - Create branch from commit sha or existing branch
+
+```json
+{
+    "name": "my-new-branch",
+    "commit": {
+        "id": "8848c0e90327a0b70f1865b843fb2fbfb9345e57",
+        "message": "Merge pull request #54 from brightbox/use_fog_brightbox_module\n\nUpdate to use fog-brightbox module",
+        "parent_ids": ["fff449e0bf453576f16c91d6544f00a2664009d8", "f93a93626fec20fd659f4ed3ab2e64019b6169ae"],
+        "authored_date": "2014-02-20T19:54:55+02:00",
+        "author_name": "john smith",
+        "author_email": "john@example.com",
+        "committed_date": "2014-02-20T19:54:55+02:00",
+        "committer_name": "john smith",
+        "committer_email": "john@example.com"
+    },
+    "protected": false
+}
+```
diff --git a/lib/api/branches.rb b/lib/api/branches.rb
index 6339094bd9..953c6100f8 100644
--- a/lib/api/branches.rb
+++ b/lib/api/branches.rb
@@ -65,6 +65,21 @@ module API
 
         present @branch, with: Entities::RepoObject, project: user_project
       end
+
+      # Create branch
+      #
+      # Parameters:
+      #   id (required) - The ID of a project
+      #   branch_name (required) - The name of the branch
+      #   ref (required) - Create branch from commit sha or existing branch
+      # Example Request:
+      #   POST /projects/:id/repository/branches
+      post ":id/repository/branches" do
+        authorize_push_project
+        @branch = CreateBranchService.new.execute(user_project, params[:branch_name], params[:ref], current_user)
+
+        present @branch, with: Entities::RepoObject, project: user_project
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/api/helpers.rb b/lib/api/helpers.rb
index 03a2968fcc..7ee4b9d138 100644
--- a/lib/api/helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/api/helpers.rb
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ module API
       end
     end
 
+    def authorize_push_project
+      authorize! :push_code, user_project
+    end
+
     def authorize_admin_project
       authorize! :admin_project, user_project
     end
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/branches_spec.rb b/spec/requests/api/branches_spec.rb
index 47c0ba94a4..f792c618e6 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/branches_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/api/branches_spec.rb
@@ -92,4 +92,24 @@ describe API::API do
   end
 
 
+  describe "POST /projects/:id/repository/branches" do
+    it "should create a new branch" do
+      post api("/projects/#{project.id}/repository/branches", user),
+        branch_name: 'new_design',
+        ref: '621491c677087aa243f165eab467bfdfbee00be1'
+
+      response.status.should == 201
+
+      json_response['name'].should == 'new_design'
+      json_response['commit']['id'].should == '621491c677087aa243f165eab467bfdfbee00be1'
+    end
+
+    it "should deny for user without push access" do
+      post api("/projects/#{project.id}/repository/branches", user2),
+        branch_name: 'new_design',
+        ref: '621491c677087aa243f165eab467bfdfbee00be1'
+
+      response.status.should == 403
+    end
+  end
 end