diff --git a/fdroidserver/checkupdates.py b/fdroidserver/checkupdates.py
index 0aa95d68..d158e1d6 100644
--- a/fdroidserver/checkupdates.py
+++ b/fdroidserver/checkupdates.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
+import git
 import os
 import re
 import urllib.request
@@ -683,6 +684,46 @@ def get_last_build_from_app(app: metadata.App) -> metadata.Build:
         return metadata.Build()
 
 
+def push_commits(remote_name='origin'):
+    """Push commits using either appid or 'checkupdates' as branch name."""
+    git_repo = git.Repo.init('.')
+    files = set()
+    upstream_main = 'main' if 'main' in git_repo.remotes.upstream.refs else 'master'
+    local_main = 'main' if 'main' in git_repo.refs else 'master'
+    for commit in git_repo.iter_commits(f'upstream/{upstream_main}...{local_main}'):
+        files.update(commit.stats.files.keys())
+
+    branch_name = 'checkupdates'
+    files = list(files)
+    if len(files) == 1:
+        m = re.match(r'metadata/([^\s]+)\.yml', files[0])
+        if m:
+            branch_name = m.group(1)  # appid
+    if len(files) > 0:
+        git_repo.create_head(branch_name, force=True)
+        remote = git_repo.remotes[remote_name]
+        pushinfos = remote.push(
+            branch_name, force=True, set_upstream=True, progress=progress
+        )
+        for pushinfo in pushinfos:
+            if pushinfo.flags & (
+                git.remote.PushInfo.ERROR
+                | git.remote.PushInfo.REJECTED
+                | git.remote.PushInfo.REMOTE_FAILURE
+                | git.remote.PushInfo.REMOTE_REJECTED
+            ):
+                # Show potentially useful messages from git remote
+                if progress:
+                    for line in progress.other_lines:
+                        if line.startswith('remote:'):
+                            logging.debug(line)
+                raise FDroidException(
+                    f'{remote.url} push failed: {pushinfo.flags} {pushinfo.summary}'
+                )
+            else:
+                logging.debug(remote.url + ': ' + pushinfo.summary)
+
+
 def status_update_json(processed: list, failed: dict) -> None:
     """Output a JSON file with metadata about this run."""
     logging.debug(_('Outputting JSON'))
diff --git a/tests/checkupdates.TestCase b/tests/checkupdates.TestCase
index 9ff7eb98..8399695d 100755
--- a/tests/checkupdates.TestCase
+++ b/tests/checkupdates.TestCase
@@ -2,9 +2,13 @@
 
 # http://www.drdobbs.com/testing/unit-testing-with-python/240165163
 
+import git
 import logging
 import os
+import shutil
 import sys
+import tempfile
+import time
 import unittest
 from unittest import mock
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -27,6 +31,12 @@ class CheckupdatesTest(unittest.TestCase):
         logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
         self.basedir = localmodule / 'tests'
         os.chdir(self.basedir)
+        self.testdir = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(
+            str(time.time()), self._testMethodName + '_'
+        )
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self.testdir.cleanup()
 
     def test_autoupdatemode_no_suffix(self):
         fdroidserver.checkupdates.config = {}
@@ -317,6 +327,56 @@ class CheckupdatesTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(vername, '2')
         self.assertEqual(vercode, 2)
 
+    def test_push_commits(self):
+        testdir = self.testdir.name
+        os.chdir(testdir)
+        os.mkdir('metadata')
+        for f in (self.basedir / 'metadata').glob('*.yml'):
+            shutil.copy(f, 'metadata')
+        git_repo = git.Repo.init(testdir)
+        git_repo.git.add(all=True)
+        git_repo.index.commit("all metadata files")
+
+        git_remote_upstream = os.path.join(testdir, 'git_remote_upstream')
+        upstream = git.Repo.init(git_remote_upstream, bare=True)
+        git_repo.create_remote('upstream', 'file://' + git_remote_upstream)
+        git_remote_origin = os.path.join(testdir, 'git_remote_origin')
+        origin = git.Repo.init(git_remote_origin, bare=True)
+        git_repo.create_remote('origin', 'file://' + git_remote_origin)
+        for remote in git_repo.remotes:
+            remote.push(git_repo.active_branch)
+        self.assertEqual(git_repo.head, upstream.head)
+        self.assertEqual(origin.head, upstream.head)
+        # pretend that checkupdates ran but didn't create any new commits
+        fdroidserver.checkupdates.push_commits()
+
+        appid = 'org.adaway'
+        self.assertNotIn(appid, git_repo.branches)
+        self.assertNotIn('checkupdates', git_repo.branches)
+        self.assertNotIn(appid, git_repo.remotes.origin.repo.branches)  # TODO fix
+
+        # now make commit
+        app = fdroidserver.metadata.read_metadata({appid: -1})[appid]
+        build = fdroidserver.metadata.Build()
+        build.versionName = 'fake'
+        build.versionCode = 999999999
+        app.Builds.append(build)
+        metadata_file = 'metadata/%s.yml' % appid
+        fdroidserver.metadata.write_metadata(metadata_file, app)
+        git_repo.index.add(metadata_file)
+        git_repo.index.commit('changed ' + appid)
+
+        # and push the new commit to the dynamic branch
+        fdroidserver.checkupdates.push_commits()
+        self.assertIn(appid, git_repo.branches)
+        self.assertIn(appid, git_repo.remotes.origin.refs)
+        self.assertNotIn('checkupdates', git_repo.branches)
+        self.assertNotIn(appid, git_repo.remotes.upstream.refs)
+
+    def test_make_merge_request(self):
+        testdir = self.testdir.name
+        os.chdir(testdir)
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     import argparse