title: Git repository lost its remote branches?
body: <p>I have a git repository that <em>has</em> a remote set up ("git fetch" works), but it <em>doesn't</em> have any remote branches: the ".git/refs/remotes" folder doesn't exist, and </p>
  
  <pre><code>git branch -r 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>returns nothing (empty list, no branches).  Yet the actual remote repository does have a branch.  If I re-clone the remote repo, I get another local repo that <em>does</em> have remote branches. </p>
  
  <p>I didn't think this state was possible.  My questions:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>How on earth did I get into this state? </li>
  <li>Is there a command that can be run to put ".git/refs/remotes" back? (short of a fresh clone, which I've done already).   </li>
  </ol>
  
  <p><strong>Additional Information</strong></p>
  
  <p>"git config --get remote.origin.fetch" is blank (i.e. the command produces no output)</p>
  
  <p>"git remote show origin" shows</p>
  
  <pre><code>$ git remote show origin
  * remote origin
    Fetch URL: &lt;correct remote url here&gt;
    Push  URL: &lt;correct remote url here&gt;
    HEAD branch: master
    Local ref configured for 'git push':
      master pushes to master (up to date)
  </code></pre>