diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/ReceivePack.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/ReceivePack.java
index 35c52bdfe..4d63ee68e 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/ReceivePack.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/ReceivePack.java
@@ -126,6 +126,9 @@ public class ReceivePack {
 	/** Identity to record action as within the reflog. */
 	private PersonIdent refLogIdent;
 
+	/** Filter used while advertising the refs to the client. */
+	private RefFilter refFilter;
+
 	/** Hook to validate the update commands before execution. */
 	private PreReceiveHook preReceive;
 
@@ -184,6 +187,7 @@ public class ReceivePack {
 		allowDeletes = cfg.allowDeletes;
 		allowNonFastForwards = cfg.allowNonFastForwards;
 		allowOfsDelta = cfg.allowOfsDelta;
+		refFilter = RefFilter.DEFAULT;
 		preReceive = PreReceiveHook.NULL;
 		postReceive = PostReceiveHook.NULL;
 	}
@@ -335,6 +339,26 @@ public class ReceivePack {
 		refLogIdent = pi;
 	}
 
+	/** @return the filter used while advertising the refs to the client */
+	public RefFilter getRefFilter() {
+		return refFilter;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Set the filter used while advertising the refs to the client.
+	 * <p>
+	 * Only refs allowed by this filter will be shown to the client.
+	 * Clients may still attempt to create or update a reference hidden
+	 * by the configured {@link RefFilter}. These attempts should be
+	 * rejected by a matching {@link PreReceiveHook}.
+	 *
+	 * @param refFilter
+	 *            the filter; may be null to show all refs.
+	 */
+	public void setRefFilter(final RefFilter refFilter) {
+		this.refFilter = refFilter != null ? refFilter : RefFilter.DEFAULT;
+	}
+
 	/** @return get the hook invoked before updates occur. */
 	public PreReceiveHook getPreReceiveHook() {
 		return preReceive;
@@ -521,7 +545,7 @@ public class ReceivePack {
 		if (biDirectionalPipe)
 			sendAdvertisedRefs(new PacketLineOutRefAdvertiser(pckOut));
 		else
-			refs = db.getAllRefs();
+			refs = refFilter.filter(db.getAllRefs());
 		recvCommands();
 		if (!commands.isEmpty()) {
 			enableCapabilities();
@@ -589,7 +613,7 @@ public class ReceivePack {
 		adv.advertiseCapability(CAPABILITY_REPORT_STATUS);
 		if (allowOfsDelta)
 			adv.advertiseCapability(CAPABILITY_OFS_DELTA);
-		refs = db.getAllRefs();
+		refs = refFilter.filter(db.getAllRefs());
 		final Ref head = refs.remove(Constants.HEAD);
 		adv.send(refs);
 		if (head != null && !head.isSymbolic())
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/RefFilter.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/RefFilter.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e46195fc1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/RefFilter.java
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2010, Google Inc.
+ * and other copyright owners as documented in the project's IP log.
+ *
+ * This program and the accompanying materials are made available
+ * under the terms of the Eclipse Distribution License v1.0 which
+ * accompanies this distribution, is reproduced below, and is
+ * available at http://www.eclipse.org/org/documents/edl-v10.php
+ *
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or
+ * without modification, are permitted provided that the following
+ * conditions are met:
+ *
+ * - Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *   notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *
+ * - Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+ *   copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
+ *   disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
+ *   with the distribution.
+ *
+ * - Neither the name of the Eclipse Foundation, Inc. nor the
+ *   names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote
+ *   products derived from this software without specific prior
+ *   written permission.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND
+ * CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
+ * INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
+ * OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+ * ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR
+ * CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ * SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT
+ * NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
+ * LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
+ * CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT,
+ * STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
+ * ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF
+ * ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+package org.eclipse.jgit.transport;
+
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
+
+/**
+ * Filters the list of refs that are advertised to the client.
+ * <p>
+ * The filter is called by {@link ReceivePack} and {@link UploadPack} to ensure
+ * that the refs are filtered before they are advertised to the client.
+ * <p>
+ * This can be used by applications to control visibility of certain refs based
+ * on a custom set of rules.
+ */
+public interface RefFilter {
+	/** The default filter, allows all refs to be shown. */
+	public static final RefFilter DEFAULT = new RefFilter() {
+		public Map<String, Ref> filter (final Map<String, Ref> refs) {
+			return refs;
+		}
+	};
+
+	/**
+	 * Filters a {@code Map} of refs before it is advertised to the client.
+	 *
+	 * @param refs
+	 *            the refs which this method need to consider.
+	 * @return
+	 *            the filtered map of refs.
+	 */
+	public Map<String, Ref> filter(Map<String, Ref> refs);
+}
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/UploadPack.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/UploadPack.java
index 57bb2adbf..b76b22b77 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/UploadPack.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/UploadPack.java
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ public class UploadPack {
 	/** The refs we advertised as existing at the start of the connection. */
 	private Map<String, Ref> refs;
 
+	/** Filter used while advertising the refs to the client. */
+	private RefFilter refFilter;
+
 	/** Capabilities requested by the client. */
 	private final Set<String> options = new HashSet<String>();
 
@@ -183,9 +186,10 @@ public class UploadPack {
 		SAVE.add(ADVERTISED);
 		SAVE.add(WANT);
 		SAVE.add(PEER_HAS);
+		refFilter = RefFilter.DEFAULT;
 	}
 
-	/** @return the repository this receive completes into. */
+	/** @return the repository this upload is reading from. */
 	public final Repository getRepository() {
 		return db;
 	}
@@ -233,6 +237,26 @@ public class UploadPack {
 		biDirectionalPipe = twoWay;
 	}
 
+	/** @return the filter used while advertising the refs to the client */
+	public RefFilter getRefFilter() {
+		return refFilter;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Set the filter used while advertising the refs to the client.
+	 * <p>
+	 * Only refs allowed by this filter will be sent to the client. This can
+	 * be used by a server to restrict the list of references the client can
+	 * obtain through clone or fetch, effectively limiting the access to only
+	 * certain refs.
+	 *
+	 * @param refFilter
+	 *            the filter; may be null to show all refs.
+	 */
+	public void setRefFilter(final RefFilter refFilter) {
+		this.refFilter = refFilter != null ? refFilter : RefFilter.DEFAULT;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Execute the upload task on the socket.
 	 *
@@ -285,7 +309,7 @@ public class UploadPack {
 		if (biDirectionalPipe)
 			sendAdvertisedRefs(new PacketLineOutRefAdvertiser(pckOut));
 		else {
-			refs = db.getAllRefs();
+			refs = refFilter.filter(db.getAllRefs());
 			for (Ref r : refs.values()) {
 				try {
 					walk.parseAny(r.getObjectId()).add(ADVERTISED);
@@ -329,7 +353,7 @@ public class UploadPack {
 		adv.advertiseCapability(OPTION_THIN_PACK);
 		adv.advertiseCapability(OPTION_NO_PROGRESS);
 		adv.setDerefTags(true);
-		refs = db.getAllRefs();
+		refs = refFilter.filter(db.getAllRefs());
 		adv.send(refs);
 		adv.end();
 	}