diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b7e7a553..099af6fe 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -495,6 +495,8 @@ gitWithCreds 'https://your.repo' // Implicitly passed credentials
 ### Changes to remote repository
 
 * `git.push('master')` - pushes origin
+* `git.pushAndPullOnFailure('refspec')` - pushes and pulls if push failed e.g. because local and remote have diverged, 
+   then tries pushing again
 * `pushGitHubPagesBranch('folderToPush', 'commit Message')` - Commits and pushes a folder to the `gh-pages` branch of 
    the current repo. Can be used to conveniently deliver websites. See https://pages.github.com. Note:
    * Uses the name and email of the last committer as author and committer.
diff --git a/src/com/cloudogu/ces/cesbuildlib/Git.groovy b/src/com/cloudogu/ces/cesbuildlib/Git.groovy
index ea474ef0..3fd6d389 100644
--- a/src/com/cloudogu/ces/cesbuildlib/Git.groovy
+++ b/src/com/cloudogu/ces/cesbuildlib/Git.groovy
@@ -291,21 +291,54 @@ class Git implements Serializable {
      *
      * @param refSpec branch or tag name
      */
-    void push(String refSpec) {
-        executeGitWithCredentials "push origin ${refSpec}"
+    void push(String refSpec = '') {
+        refSpec = addOriginWhenMissing(refSpec)
+        executeGitWithCredentials "push ${refSpec}"
     }
 
     /**
      * Pulls to local from remote repo.
      *
      * @param refSpec branch or tag name
+     * @param authorName
+     * @param authorEmail
      */
     void pull(String refSpec = '', String authorName = commitAuthorName, String authorEmail = commitAuthorEmail) {
+        refSpec = addOriginWhenMissing(refSpec)
         withAuthorAndEmail(authorName, authorEmail) {
             executeGitWithCredentials "pull ${refSpec}"
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Pushes local to remote repo. Additionally pulls, if push has failed.
+     *
+     * @param refSpec branch or tag name
+     * @param authorName
+     * @param authorEmail
+     */
+    void pushAndPullOnFailure(String refSpec = '', String authorName = commitAuthorName, String authorEmail = commitAuthorEmail) {
+        refSpec = addOriginWhenMissing(refSpec)
+        executeGitWithCredentials("push ${refSpec}") {
+            script.echo "Got error, trying to pull first"
+            pull(refSpec, authorName, authorEmail)
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Method exists purely because of downward compatibility. Adding remote to pushes and pulls is preferred,
+     * but historically git push always added `origin` implicitly.
+     *
+     */
+    private static String addOriginWhenMissing(String refSpec) {
+        // if refspec contains more than 1 argument e.g. `upstream master`
+        if(!refSpec || refSpec.trim().split(' ').length > 1 || refSpec.trim() == 'origin') {
+            return refSpec
+        }
+
+        return 'origin ' + refSpec
+    }
+
     /**
      * Commits and pushes a folder to the <code>gh-pages</code> branch of the current repo.
      * Can be used to conveniently deliver websites. See https://pages.github.com/
@@ -338,28 +371,30 @@ class Git implements Serializable {
      * This method executes the git command with a bash function as credential helper,
      * which return username and password from jenkins credentials.
      *
-     * If the script failes with exit code 128, this will retry the call up to the
+     * If the script failes with exit code > 0, this will retry the call up to the
      * configured max retries before failing.
      *
      * @param args git arguments
+     * @param closure closure to execute after first retry
      */
-    protected void executeGitWithCredentials(String args) {
+    protected void executeGitWithCredentials(String args, Closure executeBeforeRetry = {}) {
         if (credentials) {
             script.withCredentials([script.usernamePassword(credentialsId: credentials,
                     passwordVariable: 'GIT_AUTH_PSW', usernameVariable: 'GIT_AUTH_USR')]) {
-                def pushResultCode = 128
+                def gitResultCode = 1
                 def retryCount = 0
-                while (pushResultCode == 128 && retryCount < maxRetries) {
+                while (gitResultCode > 0 && retryCount < maxRetries) {
                     if (retryCount > 0) {
-                        script.echo "Got error code ${pushResultCode} - retrying in ${retryTimeout} ms ..."
+                        script.echo "Got error code ${gitResultCode} - retrying in ${retryTimeout} ms ..."
                         sleep(retryTimeout)
+                        executeBeforeRetry.call()
                     }
                     ++retryCount
-                    pushResultCode = script.sh returnStatus: true, script: "git -c credential.helper=\"!f() { echo username='\$GIT_AUTH_USR'; echo password='\$GIT_AUTH_PSW'; }; f\" ${args}"
-                    pushResultCode = pushResultCode as int
+                    gitResultCode = script.sh returnStatus: true, script: "git -c credential.helper=\"!f() { echo username='\$GIT_AUTH_USR'; echo password='\$GIT_AUTH_PSW'; }; f\" ${args}"
+                    gitResultCode = gitResultCode as int
                 }
-                if (pushResultCode != 0) {
-                    script.error "Unable to execute git call. Retried ${retryCount} times. Last error code: ${pushResultCode}"
+                if (gitResultCode != 0) {
+                    script.error "Unable to execute git call. Retried ${retryCount} times. Last error code: ${gitResultCode}"
                 }
             }
         } else {
diff --git a/test/com/cloudogu/ces/cesbuildlib/GitTest.groovy b/test/com/cloudogu/ces/cesbuildlib/GitTest.groovy
index 6faf6385..29eee72b 100644
--- a/test/com/cloudogu/ces/cesbuildlib/GitTest.groovy
+++ b/test/com/cloudogu/ces/cesbuildlib/GitTest.groovy
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ class GitTest {
     }
 
     @Test
-    void pull() {
+    void "pull with empty refspec"() {
         def expectedGitCommandWithCredentials = 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" pull'
         scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put(expectedGitCommandWithCredentials, 0)
         scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git --no-pager show -s --format=\'%an <%ae>\' HEAD', 'User Name <user.name@doma.in>')
@@ -240,7 +240,45 @@ class GitTest {
     }
 
     @Test
-    void 'pull with refspec'() {
+    void "pull origin"() {
+        def expectedGitCommandWithCredentials = 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" pull origin'
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put(expectedGitCommandWithCredentials, 0)
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git --no-pager show -s --format=\'%an <%ae>\' HEAD', 'User Name <user.name@doma.in>')
+        git = new Git(scriptMock, 'creds')
+
+        git.pull('origin')
+
+        def actualWithEnv = scriptMock.actualWithEnvAsMap()
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.size() == 3
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(2).trim() == expectedGitCommandWithCredentials
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void 'pull master'() {
+        def expectedGitCommandWithCredentials = 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" pull origin master'
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put(expectedGitCommandWithCredentials, 0)
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git --no-pager show -s --format=\'%an <%ae>\' HEAD', 'User Name <user.name@doma.in>')
+        git = new Git(scriptMock, 'creds')
+
+        git.pull 'master'
+
+        def actualWithEnv = scriptMock.actualWithEnvAsMap()
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.size() == 3
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(2).trim() == expectedGitCommandWithCredentials
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void 'pull origin master'() {
         def expectedGitCommandWithCredentials = 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" pull origin master'
         scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put(expectedGitCommandWithCredentials, 0)
         scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git --no-pager show -s --format=\'%an <%ae>\' HEAD', 'User Name <user.name@doma.in>')
@@ -258,6 +296,25 @@ class GitTest {
         assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(2).trim() == expectedGitCommandWithCredentials
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void 'pull upstream master'() {
+        def expectedGitCommandWithCredentials = 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" pull upstream master'
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put(expectedGitCommandWithCredentials, 0)
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git --no-pager show -s --format=\'%an <%ae>\' HEAD', 'User Name <user.name@doma.in>')
+        git = new Git(scriptMock, 'creds')
+
+        git.pull 'upstream master'
+
+        def actualWithEnv = scriptMock.actualWithEnvAsMap()
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.size() == 3
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(2).trim() == expectedGitCommandWithCredentials
+    }
+
     @Test
     void checkout() {
         git.checkout("master")
@@ -310,6 +367,38 @@ class GitTest {
         git.push('master')
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void "push with empty refspec"() {
+        git.push()
+
+        assert scriptMock.actualShStringArgs.size() == 1
+        assert scriptMock.actualShStringArgs.get(0).trim() == 'git push'
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void "push origin"() {
+        git.push('origin')
+
+        assert scriptMock.actualShStringArgs.size() == 1
+        assert scriptMock.actualShStringArgs.get(0) == 'git push origin'
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void "push origin master"() {
+        git.push('origin master')
+
+        assert scriptMock.actualShStringArgs.size() == 1
+        assert scriptMock.actualShStringArgs.get(0) == 'git push origin master'
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void "push upstream master"() {
+        git.push('upstream master')
+
+        assert scriptMock.actualShStringArgs.size() == 1
+        assert scriptMock.actualShStringArgs.get(0) == 'git push upstream master'
+    }
+
     @Test
     void pushNonHttps() {
         scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push origin master', 0)
@@ -333,6 +422,98 @@ class GitTest {
         assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(2) == 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push origin master'
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void "pushAndPullOnFailure with empty refspec"() {
+        def expectedGitCommandWithCredentials = 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push'
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put(expectedGitCommandWithCredentials, [1, 0])
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" pull', 0)
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git --no-pager show -s --format=\'%an <%ae>\' HEAD', 'User Name <user.name@doma.in>')
+        git = new Git(scriptMock, 'creds')
+
+        git.retryTimeout = 1
+        git.pushAndPullOnFailure()
+
+        def actualWithEnv = scriptMock.actualWithEnvAsMap()
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.size() == 5
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(2).trim() == 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push'
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(3).trim() == 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" pull'
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(4).trim() == 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push'
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void "pushAndPullOnFailure master"() {
+        def expectedGitCommandWithCredentials = 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push origin master'
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put(expectedGitCommandWithCredentials, [1, 0])
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" pull origin master', 0)
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git --no-pager show -s --format=\'%an <%ae>\' HEAD', 'User Name <user.name@doma.in>')
+        git = new Git(scriptMock, 'creds')
+
+        git.retryTimeout = 1
+        git.pushAndPullOnFailure('master')
+
+        def actualWithEnv = scriptMock.actualWithEnvAsMap()
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.size() == 5
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(2) == 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push origin master'
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(3) == 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" pull origin master'
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(4) == 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push origin master'
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void "pushAndPullOnFailure origin master"() {
+        def expectedGitCommandWithCredentials = 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push origin master'
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put(expectedGitCommandWithCredentials, [1, 0])
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" pull origin master', 0)
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git --no-pager show -s --format=\'%an <%ae>\' HEAD', 'User Name <user.name@doma.in>')
+        git = new Git(scriptMock, 'creds')
+
+        git.retryTimeout = 1
+        git.pushAndPullOnFailure('origin master')
+
+        def actualWithEnv = scriptMock.actualWithEnvAsMap()
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.size() == 5
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(2) == 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push origin master'
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(3) == 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" pull origin master'
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(4) == 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push origin master'
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void "pushAndPullOnFailure upstream master"() {
+        def expectedGitCommandWithCredentials = 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push upstream master'
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put(expectedGitCommandWithCredentials, [1, 0])
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" pull upstream master', 0)
+        scriptMock.expectedShRetValueForScript.put('git --no-pager show -s --format=\'%an <%ae>\' HEAD', 'User Name <user.name@doma.in>')
+        git = new Git(scriptMock, 'creds')
+
+        git.retryTimeout = 1
+        git.pushAndPullOnFailure('upstream master')
+
+        def actualWithEnv = scriptMock.actualWithEnvAsMap()
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_NAME'] == 'User Name'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+        assert actualWithEnv['GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL'] == 'user.name@doma.in'
+
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.size() == 5
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(2) == 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push upstream master'
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(3) == 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" pull upstream master'
+        assert scriptMock.actualShMapArgs.get(4) == 'git -c credential.helper="!f() { echo username=\'$GIT_AUTH_USR\'; echo password=\'$GIT_AUTH_PSW\'; }; f" push upstream master'
+    }
+
     @Test
     void pushNoCredentials() {
         git.push('master')