diff --git a/lib/Formula.py b/lib/Formula.py
index ea3e9cc..814d5a7 100644
--- a/lib/Formula.py
+++ b/lib/Formula.py
@@ -49,11 +49,7 @@ class Formula():
 
     # checks to see if a branch, tag, or commit to track has been defined
     def get_tracking_state(self):
-        if 'track_branch' in self.formula_def:
-            return 0, self.formula_def['track_branch']
-        elif 'track_tag' in self.formula_def:
-            return 1, self.formula_def['track_tag']
-        elif 'track_commit' in self.formula_def:
-            return 2, self.formula_def['track_commit']
+        if 'git_branch' in self.formula_def:
+            return self.formula_def['git_branch']
         else:
-            return 0, False
+            return False
diff --git a/lib/FormulaRepo.py b/lib/FormulaRepo.py
index cf9d6a1..0d508f1 100644
--- a/lib/FormulaRepo.py
+++ b/lib/FormulaRepo.py
@@ -27,32 +27,24 @@ class FormulaRepo():
             self.repo = Repo(self.repo_path)
 
     # check if the repo is up to date
-    def check_tracking_info(self, tracking_key, tracking_value):
-        if tracking_key == 0:
+    def check_tracking_info(self, branch):
+        if branch != False:
             # tracking a specific branch on the repo
-            if tracking_value != False:
-                # check to make sure that the given branch name actually exists first
-                if not tracking_value in self.repo.branches:
-                    print('%s is not an existing branch name for %s - please fix this.' % (tracking_value, self.repo_path))
-                    sys.exit(1)
+            # check to make sure that the given branch name actually exists first
+            if not tracking_value in self.repo.branches:
+                print('%s is not an existing branch name for %s - please fix this.' % (tracking_value, self.repo_path))
+                sys.exit(1)
 
-                repo_branch = self.repo.head.reference
-                # check to make sure that the current tracked branch is, in fact, what we want
-                if repo_branch != tracking_value:
-                    self.repo.head.reference = repo_branch
+            repo_branch = self.repo.head.reference
+            # check to make sure that the current tracked branch is, in fact, what we want
+            if repo_branch != tracking_value:
+                self.repo.head.reference = repo_branch
 
             # let the user know which branch we're using
             print('For %s, we\'re using the %s branch.' % (self.repo_path, self.repo.head.reference))
-        elif tracking_key == 1:
-            # tracking a specific tag on the repo
-            print('Tracking a tag')
-        elif tracking_key == 2:
-            # tracking a specific commit on the repo
-            print('Tracking a commit')
         else:
-            # we shouldn't get here...
-            print('So... somehow %s got a tracking key of %d, but that is not a valid tracking key!' % (self.repo_path, tracking_key))
-            sys.exit(1)
+            # no branch was specified, so we're going with what's there
+            print('Using the default/current branch for %s' % (self.repo_path))
 
 
     # pull any new updates for the repo
diff --git a/salt-formula-manager.py b/salt-formula-manager.py
index 474f42d..c5528cd 100644
--- a/salt-formula-manager.py
+++ b/salt-formula-manager.py
@@ -44,9 +44,9 @@ def get_formulas(formulas, formulas_dir, formulas_url):
         formula_repo.retrieve()
 
         # get the repo tracking information from the formula definition
-        tracking_key, tracking_value = formula.get_tracking_state()
+        tracking_branch = formula.get_tracking_state()
         # make sure our formula's repo is up-to-date with the latest tracked version
-        formula_repo.check_tracking_info(tracking_key, tracking_value)
+        formula_repo.check_tracking_info(tracking_branch)
 
         # pull any new commits for the repo
         formula_repo.pull_updates()