diff --git a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/dprocedures/dolt_pull.go b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/dprocedures/dolt_pull.go
index 38821bf2550..4cae3e4c62b 100644
--- a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/dprocedures/dolt_pull.go
+++ b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/dprocedures/dolt_pull.go
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/dolthub/dolt/go/libraries/doltcore/env/actions"
 	"github.com/dolthub/dolt/go/libraries/doltcore/ref"
 	"github.com/dolthub/dolt/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/dsess"
-	"github.com/dolthub/dolt/go/store/datas"
 	"github.com/dolthub/dolt/go/store/datas/pull"
 )
 
@@ -125,6 +124,12 @@ func doDoltPull(ctx *sql.Context, args []string) (int, int, error) {
 			fmt.Errorf("branch %q not found on remote", pullSpec.Branch.GetPath())
 	}
 
+	mode := ref.UpdateMode{Force: true, Prune: false}
+	err = actions.FetchRefSpecs(ctx, dbData, srcDB, pullSpec.RefSpecs, pullSpec.Remote, mode, runProgFuncs, stopProgFuncs)
+	if err != nil {
+		return noConflictsOrViolations, threeWayMerge, fmt.Errorf("fetch failed: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	var conflicts int
 	var fastForward int
 	for _, refSpec := range pullSpec.RefSpecs {
@@ -136,17 +141,12 @@ func doDoltPull(ctx *sql.Context, args []string) (int, int, error) {
 				continue
 			}
 
-			rsSeen = true
-			tmpDir, err := dbData.Rsw.TempTableFilesDir()
-			if err != nil {
-				return noConflictsOrViolations, threeWayMerge, err
-			}
-			// todo: can we pass nil for either of the channels?
-			srcDBCommit, err := actions.FetchRemoteBranch(ctx, tmpDir, pullSpec.Remote, srcDB, dbData.Ddb, branchRef, runProgFuncs, stopProgFuncs)
-			if err != nil {
-				return noConflictsOrViolations, threeWayMerge, err
+			if branchRef != pullSpec.Branch {
+				continue
 			}
 
+			rsSeen = true
+
 			headRef, err := dbData.Rsr.CWBHeadRef()
 			if err != nil {
 				return noConflictsOrViolations, threeWayMerge, err
@@ -154,28 +154,6 @@ func doDoltPull(ctx *sql.Context, args []string) (int, int, error) {
 
 			msg := fmt.Sprintf("Merge branch '%s' of %s into %s", pullSpec.Branch.GetPath(), pullSpec.Remote.Url, headRef.GetPath())
 
-			// TODO: this could be replaced with a canFF check to test for error
-			err = dbData.Ddb.FastForward(ctx, remoteTrackRef, srcDBCommit)
-			if errors.Is(err, datas.ErrMergeNeeded) {
-				// If the remote tracking branch has diverged from the local copy, we just overwrite it
-				// TODO: none of this is transactional
-				h, err := srcDBCommit.HashOf()
-				if err != nil {
-					return noConflictsOrViolations, threeWayMerge, err
-				}
-				err = dbData.Ddb.SetHead(ctx, remoteTrackRef, h)
-				if err != nil {
-					return noConflictsOrViolations, threeWayMerge, err
-				}
-			} else if err != nil {
-				return noConflictsOrViolations, threeWayMerge, fmt.Errorf("fetch failed; %w", err)
-			}
-
-			// Only merge iff branch is current branch and there is an upstream set (pullSpec.Branch is set to nil if there is no upstream)
-			if branchRef != pullSpec.Branch {
-				continue
-			}
-
 			roots, ok := sess.GetRoots(ctx, dbName)
 			if !ok {
 				return noConflictsOrViolations, threeWayMerge, sql.ErrDatabaseNotFound.New(dbName)