git and dreamhost : refusing to update checked out branch: refs/heads/master

Problem
After dreamhost decided to move my account that hosted the git repository to a new server, first time I’ve tried to push some changes to the git repository I was faced with the followng error:

Counting objects: 13, done.
Delta compression using up to 4 threads.
Compressing objects: 100% (7/7), done.
Writing objects: 100% (7/7), 699 bytes, done.
Total 7 (delta 6), reused 0 (delta 0)
error: refusing to update checked out branch: refs/heads/master
error: By default, updating the current branch in a non-bare repository
error: is denied, because it will make the index and work tree inconsistent
error: with what you pushed, and will require 'git reset --hard' to match
error: the work tree to HEAD.
error:
error: You can set 'receive.denyCurrentBranch' configuration variable to
error: 'ignore' or 'warn' in the remote repository to allow pushing into
error: its current branch; however, this is not recommended unless you
error: arranged to update its work tree to match what you pushed in some
error: other way.
error:
error: To squelch this message and still keep the default behaviour, set
error: 'receive.denyCurrentBranch' configuration variable to 'refuse'.
To ssh://dh_user@dh_domain/home/repository_path/projects/project.git

Solution
After searching and finding out various solutions to solve the problem, none of which was specific to a server move, I’ve tried the following:

  • Followed the steps here to set up a new repository project_asm.git
  • went to local project changed the config file to add the new remote repository
  • issued git push new_remote master
  • make a code change and then git push

And everything should work as normal again.