How to Fix the Git Error: “Fatal: Not Possible to Fast-forward, Aborting”?

Git is powerful but can be cryptic at times. One such confusing message developers often encounter is:

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fatal: not possible to fast-forward, aborting.

This usually pops up when trying to pull or push changes across branches. In this guide, we’ll explain what this error means, why it occurs, and how to fix it using safe Git practices.

What Does “Not Possible to Fast-Forward” Mean?

In Git, a fast-forward merge happens when the current branch has no commits of its own and can simply “move forward” to match the incoming branch. No merge commit is created—just a pointer update.

However, if your local branch has diverged (i.e., both local and remote have commits), Git cannot do a fast-forward. It needs to create a merge commit, and if fast-forward is enforced (–ff-only), Git will throw the following error:

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fatal: Not possible to fast-forward, aborting.

When You Might See This Error

1. You’re pulling with –ff-only flag
2. You’re pushing to a protected branch that disallows merge commits
3. Your local branch is behind the remote and has unique commits
4. CI/CD or rebase workflows require a clean fast-forward state

Steps to Fix Fatal: Not Possible to Fast-forward aborting

git pull origin main --no-ff

git pull

git fetch origin
git rebase origin/main

git push origin main

git push --force

git push --force-with-lease

git config pull.ff only

git config --global pull.ff false

Real-Life Use Case

Scenario: You and your teammate are working on main. They push a commit before you. You try:

git pull --ff-only

Your local branch has commits. Git refuses to overwrite anything without a clean fast-forward path.

Solution: Instead use:

git pull --rebase

This replays your commits on top of theirs, maintaining a linear history.

Best Practices to Avoid This Error

• Rebase before pushing to a shared branch.
• Pull frequently to avoid divergence.
• Avoid –ff-only unless necessary.
• Use force-with-lease instead of –force.
• Use protected branches with enforced rules in CI/CD pipelines.

Bonus: Git Aliases for Faster Recovery

Add this to your Git config for a safe rebase:

git config --global alias.safe-rebase '!git fetch && git rebase origin/$(git branch --show-current)'

Then run:

git safe-rebase

Conclusion

The Git error “fatal: not possible to fast-forward, aborting” is a sign that your branch has diverged. Whether you choose to merge, rebase, or carefully force-push, understanding Git’s internal mechanics will make you a more confident and productive developer.

Need help optimizing your Git strategy for your team or product? Reach out to our DevOps experts for a custom workflow.