diff --git a/packages/app/src/git/policy.test.ts b/packages/app/src/git/policy.test.ts
index f9cde8948..a9365e5ca 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/git/policy.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/git/policy.test.ts
@@ -252,6 +252,38 @@ describe("git-actions-policy", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("keeps pull-and-push unavailable when the branch only has outgoing commits", () => {
+    const actions = buildGitActions(
+      createInput({
+        hasRemote: true,
+        aheadOfOrigin: 2,
+        behindOfOrigin: 0,
+      }),
+    );
+    const action = actions.secondary.find((entry) => entry.id === "pull-and-push");
+
+    expect(action).toMatchObject({
+      label: "Pull and push",
+      unavailableMessage: expect.any(String),
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("keeps pull-and-push unavailable when the branch only has incoming commits", () => {
+    const actions = buildGitActions(
+      createInput({
+        hasRemote: true,
+        aheadOfOrigin: 0,
+        behindOfOrigin: 2,
+      }),
+    );
+    const action = actions.secondary.find((entry) => entry.id === "pull-and-push");
+
+    expect(action).toMatchObject({
+      label: "Pull and push",
+      unavailableMessage: expect.any(String),
+    });
+  });
+
   it("explains why pull-and-push is unavailable when the branch is in sync", () => {
     const actions = buildGitActions(createInput({ hasRemote: true }));
     const action = actions.secondary.find((entry) => entry.id === "pull-and-push");
diff --git a/packages/app/src/git/policy.ts b/packages/app/src/git/policy.ts
index 69d09323e..36e91c02d 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/git/policy.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/git/policy.ts
@@ -616,6 +616,12 @@ function getPullAndPushUnavailableMessage(input: BuildGitActionsInput): string |
   if (input.behindOfOrigin === 0 && input.aheadOfOrigin === 0) {
     return "Pull and push isn't available because this branch is already in sync";
   }
+  if (input.behindOfOrigin === 0) {
+    return "Pull and push isn't available because there are no incoming changes to pull first";
+  }
+  if (input.aheadOfOrigin === 0) {
+    return "Pull and push isn't available because there is nothing new to send after pulling";
+  }
   return undefined;
 }