diff --git a/builtin/remote.c b/builtin/remote.c
index 1d68c5b2ba..108f1271d3 100644
--- a/builtin/remote.c
+++ b/builtin/remote.c
@@ -1399,10 +1399,35 @@ static int show(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	return result;
 }
 
+static void report_set_head_auto(const char *remote, const char *head_name,
+			struct strbuf *b_local_head) {
+	struct strbuf buf_prefix = STRBUF_INIT;
+	const char *prev_head = NULL;
+
+	strbuf_addf(&buf_prefix, "refs/remotes/%s/", remote);
+	skip_prefix(b_local_head->buf, buf_prefix.buf, &prev_head);
+
+	if (prev_head && !strcmp(prev_head, head_name))
+		printf(_("'%s/HEAD' is unchanged and points to '%s'\n"),
+			remote, head_name);
+	else if (prev_head)
+		printf(_("'%s/HEAD' has changed from '%s' and now points to '%s'\n"),
+			remote, prev_head, head_name);
+	else if (!b_local_head->len)
+		printf(_("'%s/HEAD' is now created and points to '%s'\n"),
+			remote, head_name);
+	else
+		printf(_("'%s/HEAD' used to point to '%s' "
+			"(which is not a remote branch), but now points to '%s'\n"),
+			remote, b_local_head->buf, head_name);
+	strbuf_release(&buf_prefix);
+}
+
 static int set_head(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	int i, opt_a = 0, opt_d = 0, result = 0;
-	struct strbuf b_head = STRBUF_INIT, b_remote_head = STRBUF_INIT;
+	struct strbuf b_head = STRBUF_INIT, b_remote_head = STRBUF_INIT,
+		b_local_head = STRBUF_INIT;
 	char *head_name = NULL;
 	struct ref_store *refs = get_main_ref_store(the_repository);
 
@@ -1445,15 +1470,17 @@ static int set_head(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		/* make sure it's valid */
 		if (!refs_ref_exists(refs, b_remote_head.buf))
 			result |= error(_("Not a valid ref: %s"), b_remote_head.buf);
-		else if (refs_update_symref(refs, b_head.buf, b_remote_head.buf, "remote set-head"))
+		else if (refs_update_symref_extended(refs, b_head.buf, b_remote_head.buf,
+					"remote set-head", &b_local_head))
 			result |= error(_("Could not setup %s"), b_head.buf);
 		else if (opt_a)
-			printf("%s/HEAD set to %s\n", argv[0], head_name);
+			report_set_head_auto(argv[0], head_name, &b_local_head);
 		free(head_name);
 	}
 
 	strbuf_release(&b_head);
 	strbuf_release(&b_remote_head);
+	strbuf_release(&b_local_head);
 	return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/t/t5505-remote.sh b/t/t5505-remote.sh
index 9b50276646..0ea86d51a4 100755
--- a/t/t5505-remote.sh
+++ b/t/t5505-remote.sh
@@ -432,12 +432,51 @@ test_expect_success 'set-head --auto' '
 	)
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'set-head --auto detects creation' '
+	(
+		cd test &&
+		git symbolic-ref -d refs/remotes/origin/HEAD &&
+		git remote set-head --auto origin >output &&
+		echo "${SQ}origin/HEAD${SQ} is now created and points to ${SQ}main${SQ}" >expect &&
+		test_cmp expect output
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'set-head --auto detects no change' '
+	(
+		cd test &&
+		git remote set-head --auto origin >output &&
+		echo "${SQ}origin/HEAD${SQ} is unchanged and points to ${SQ}main${SQ}" >expect &&
+		test_cmp expect output
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'set-head --auto detects change' '
+	(
+		cd test &&
+		git symbolic-ref refs/remotes/origin/HEAD refs/remotes/origin/ahead &&
+		git remote set-head --auto origin >output &&
+		echo "${SQ}origin/HEAD${SQ} has changed from ${SQ}ahead${SQ} and now points to ${SQ}main${SQ}" >expect &&
+		test_cmp expect output
+	)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'set-head --auto detects strange ref' '
+	(
+		cd test &&
+		git symbolic-ref refs/remotes/origin/HEAD refs/heads/main &&
+		git remote set-head --auto origin >output &&
+		echo "${SQ}origin/HEAD${SQ} used to point to ${SQ}refs/heads/main${SQ} (which is not a remote branch), but now points to ${SQ}main${SQ}" >expect &&
+		test_cmp expect output
+	)
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'set-head --auto has no problem w/multiple HEADs' '
 	(
 		cd test &&
 		git fetch two "refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/two/*" &&
 		git remote set-head --auto two >output 2>&1 &&
-		echo "two/HEAD set to main" >expect &&
+		echo "${SQ}two/HEAD${SQ} is now created and points to ${SQ}main${SQ}" >expect &&
 		test_cmp expect output
 	)
 '
@@ -456,6 +495,16 @@ test_expect_success 'set-head explicit' '
 	)
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'set-head --auto reports change' '
+	(
+		cd test &&
+		git remote set-head origin side2 &&
+		git remote set-head --auto origin >output 2>&1 &&
+		echo "${SQ}origin/HEAD${SQ} has changed from ${SQ}side2${SQ} and now points to ${SQ}main${SQ}" >expect &&
+		test_cmp expect output
+	)
+'
+
 cat >test/expect <<EOF
 Pruning origin
 URL: $(pwd)/one
