diff --git a/docs/specs/DEVX-170.md b/docs/specs/DEVX-170.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f4f2afe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/specs/DEVX-170.md
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# DEVX-170: create_dependency_pr checks out the API-created branch
+
+## Problem
+
+After DEVX-169 the dependency branch is created via `POST /branches`, but
+`git fetch origin <branch>` only populates `FETCH_HEAD`. The follow-up
+`git checkout <branch>` fails silently (`check=False`), commits land on
+the wrong ref, and `git push origin <branch>` fails with
+`src refspec does not match any`. Observed creating the sso_bridge 0.4.1
+infra dependency PR.
+
+## Approach
+
+REQ-1: Fetch the API-created branch into `refs/remotes/origin/<branch>`
+and force-create the local branch with `git checkout -B <branch>
+origin/<branch>`, both with `check=True` so failures surface.
+
+## Test Plan
+
+- Unit test asserts the fetch refspec and `checkout -B` invocations.
+
+## Deploy Plan
+
+devx release tag; producers pick it up via pin bumps.
+
+## Rollback Plan
+
+Revert; dep-PR creation stays broken (status quo).
+
+## Acceptance Criteria
+
+- [x] REQ-1: the clone checks out the API-created branch so commit and
+  push target `deps/<pkg>-<version>`; covered by unit tests.
diff --git a/src/devx/ci/create_dependency_pr.py b/src/devx/ci/create_dependency_pr.py
index c84195a..7ffb7d7 100644
--- a/src/devx/ci/create_dependency_pr.py
+++ b/src/devx/ci/create_dependency_pr.py
@@ -357,9 +357,21 @@ def cli(
         else:
             raise click.ClickException(_("Failed to create branch: {error}", error=str(e))) from None
 
-    # Check out the API-created branch inside the target clone.
-    subprocess.run(["git", "fetch", "origin", f"{branch_name}"], check=False, capture_output=True, cwd=workdir)  # nosec B603 B607
-    subprocess.run(["git", "checkout", branch_name], check=False, capture_output=True, cwd=workdir)  # nosec B603 B607
+    # Check out the API-created branch inside the target clone. A plain
+    # fetch only populates FETCH_HEAD — fetch into the remote-tracking ref
+    # and force-create the local branch from it.
+    subprocess.run(  # nosec B603 B607
+        ["git", "fetch", "origin", f"{branch_name}:refs/remotes/origin/{branch_name}"],
+        check=True,
+        capture_output=True,
+        cwd=workdir,
+    )
+    subprocess.run(  # nosec B603 B607
+        ["git", "checkout", "-B", branch_name, f"origin/{branch_name}"],
+        check=True,
+        capture_output=True,
+        cwd=workdir,
+    )
 
     if manifest_path:
         fields = {
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_create_dependency_pr.py b/tests/unit/test_create_dependency_pr.py
index af84b09..76ae53e 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_create_dependency_pr.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_create_dependency_pr.py
@@ -557,3 +557,27 @@ class TestBranchCreation:
         result = self._invoke()
         assert result.exit_code != 0
         assert "Failed to create branch" in result.output
+
+    @patch("devx.ci.create_dependency_pr.create_vikunja_task", return_value=None)
+    @patch("devx.ci.create_dependency_pr.update_manifest", return_value=True)
+    @patch("devx.ci.create_dependency_pr.read_manifest_version", return_value="0.9.0")
+    @patch("devx.ci.create_dependency_pr.find_existing_pr", return_value=None)
+    @patch("devx.ci.create_dependency_pr.GiteaClient")
+    @patch("devx.ci.create_dependency_pr.get_ci_token", return_value="tok")
+    def test_checks_out_remote_tracking_branch(
+        self,
+        _token: MagicMock,
+        mock_client_cls: MagicMock,
+        _find: MagicMock,
+        _read: MagicMock,
+        _update: MagicMock,
+        _task: MagicMock,
+    ) -> None:
+        import subprocess
+
+        self._client(mock_client_cls)
+        result = self._invoke()
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        calls = [c.args[0] for c in subprocess.run.call_args_list]
+        assert ["git", "fetch", "origin", "deps/sso_bridge-0.9.1:refs/remotes/origin/deps/sso_bridge-0.9.1"] in calls
+        assert ["git", "checkout", "-B", "deps/sso_bridge-0.9.1", "origin/deps/sso_bridge-0.9.1"] in calls