diff --git a/git/cmd.py b/git/cmd.py
index b3274dd8f..3b8508027 100644
--- a/git/cmd.py
+++ b/git/cmd.py
@@ -338,6 +338,7 @@ def execute(self, command,
                         stderr=PIPE,
                         stdout=PIPE,
                         close_fds=(os.name=='posix'),# unsupported on linux
+                        bufsize=(10 *1024 * 1024),
                         **subprocess_kwargs
                         )
         if as_process:
diff --git a/git/remote.py b/git/remote.py
index f89e9d83c..cc7cb9e92 100644
--- a/git/remote.py
+++ b/git/remote.py
@@ -271,14 +271,10 @@ def _from_line(cls, repo, line, fetch_line):
         ref_type = None
         if remote_local_ref == "FETCH_HEAD":
             ref_type = SymbolicReference
-        elif ref_type_name in ("remote-tracking", "branch"):
-            # note: remote-tracking is just the first part of the 'remote-tracking branch' token.
-            # We don't parse it correctly, but its enough to know what to do, and its new in git 1.7something
-            ref_type = RemoteReference
         elif ref_type_name == "tag":
             ref_type = TagReference
         else:
-            raise TypeError("Cannot handle reference type: %r" % ref_type_name)
+            ref_type = RemoteReference
         #END handle ref type
             
         # create ref instance