diff --git a/src/Composer/Downloader/VcsDownloader.php b/src/Composer/Downloader/VcsDownloader.php
index 0a48708d2..da251d214 100644
--- a/src/Composer/Downloader/VcsDownloader.php
+++ b/src/Composer/Downloader/VcsDownloader.php
@@ -119,6 +119,8 @@ abstract class VcsDownloader implements DownloaderInterface, ChangeReportInterfa
                     $url = realpath($url);
                 }
                 $this->doUpdate($initial, $target, $path, $url);
+
+                $exception = null;
                 break;
             } catch (\Exception $exception) {
                 if ($this->io->isDebug()) {
diff --git a/tests/Composer/Test/Downloader/GitDownloaderTest.php b/tests/Composer/Test/Downloader/GitDownloaderTest.php
index 9c851fe9a..1f88c7895 100644
--- a/tests/Composer/Test/Downloader/GitDownloaderTest.php
+++ b/tests/Composer/Test/Downloader/GitDownloaderTest.php
@@ -325,6 +325,57 @@ class GitDownloaderTest extends TestCase
         $downloader->update($packageMock, $packageMock, $this->workingDir);
     }
 
+    public function testUpdateDoesntThrowsRuntimeExceptionIfGitCommandFailsAtFirstButIsAbleToRecover()
+    {
+        $expectedFirstGitUpdateCommand = $this->winCompat("git remote set-url composer '' && git fetch composer && git fetch --tags composer");
+        $expectedSecondGitUpdateCommand = $this->winCompat("git remote set-url composer 'git://github.com/composer/composer' && git fetch composer && git fetch --tags composer");
+
+        $packageMock = $this->getMock('Composer\Package\PackageInterface');
+        $packageMock->expects($this->any())
+            ->method('getSourceReference')
+            ->will($this->returnValue('ref'));
+        $packageMock->expects($this->any())
+            ->method('getSourceUrls')
+            ->will($this->returnValue(array('/foo/bar', 'https://github.com/composer/composer')));
+        $processExecutor = $this->getMock('Composer\Util\ProcessExecutor');
+        $processExecutor->expects($this->at(0))
+            ->method('execute')
+            ->with($this->equalTo($this->winCompat("git status --porcelain --untracked-files=no")))
+            ->will($this->returnValue(0));
+        $processExecutor->expects($this->at(1))
+            ->method('execute')
+            ->with($this->equalTo($this->winCompat("git remote -v")))
+            ->will($this->returnValue(0));
+        $processExecutor->expects($this->at(2))
+            ->method('execute')
+            ->with($this->equalTo($expectedFirstGitUpdateCommand))
+            ->will($this->returnValue(1));
+        $processExecutor->expects($this->at(4))
+            ->method('execute')
+            ->with($this->equalTo($this->winCompat("git --version")))
+            ->will($this->returnValue(0));
+        $processExecutor->expects($this->at(5))
+            ->method('execute')
+            ->with($this->equalTo($this->winCompat("git remote -v")))
+            ->will($this->returnValue(0));
+        $processExecutor->expects($this->at(6))
+            ->method('execute')
+            ->with($this->equalTo($expectedSecondGitUpdateCommand))
+            ->will($this->returnValue(0));
+        $processExecutor->expects($this->at(7))
+            ->method('execute')
+            ->with($this->equalTo('git branch -r'))
+            ->will($this->returnValue(0));
+        $processExecutor->expects($this->at(8))
+            ->method('execute')
+            ->with($this->equalTo($this->winCompat("git checkout 'ref' -- && git reset --hard 'ref' --")), $this->equalTo(null), $this->equalTo($this->winCompat($this->workingDir)))
+            ->will($this->returnValue(0));
+
+        $this->fs->ensureDirectoryExists($this->workingDir.'/.git');
+        $downloader = $this->getDownloaderMock(null, new Config(), $processExecutor);
+        $downloader->update($packageMock, $packageMock, $this->workingDir);
+    }
+
     public function testRemove()
     {
         $expectedGitResetCommand = $this->winCompat("cd 'composerPath' && git status --porcelain --untracked-files=no");