diff --git a/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refs_helper.go b/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refs_helper.go
index 362746288..dd7ae839a 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refs_helper.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/refs_helper.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/jesseduffield/gocui"
 	"github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit/pkg/commands/git_commands"
 	"github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit/pkg/commands/models"
+	"github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit/pkg/gui/context"
 	"github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit/pkg/gui/style"
 	"github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit/pkg/gui/types"
 	"github.com/jesseduffield/lazygit/pkg/utils"
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ func (self *RefsHelper) CheckoutRef(ref string, options types.CheckoutRefOptions
 
 	refreshOptions := types.RefreshOptions{Mode: types.BLOCK_UI, KeepBranchSelectionIndex: true}
 
-	return self.c.WithWaitingStatus(waitingStatus, func(gocui.Task) error {
+	f := func(gocui.Task) error {
 		if err := self.c.Git().Branch.Checkout(ref, cmdOptions); err != nil {
 			// note, this will only work for english-language git commands. If we force git to use english, and the error isn't this one, then the user will receive an english command they may not understand. I'm not sure what the best solution to this is. Running the command once in english and a second time in the native language is one option
 
@@ -93,19 +94,29 @@ func (self *RefsHelper) CheckoutRef(ref string, options types.CheckoutRefOptions
 		onSuccess()
 
 		return self.c.Refresh(refreshOptions)
+	}
+
+	localBranch, found := lo.Find(self.c.Model().Branches, func(branch *models.Branch) bool {
+		return branch.Name == ref
 	})
+	if found {
+		return self.c.WithInlineStatus(localBranch, types.ItemOperationCheckingOut, context.LOCAL_BRANCHES_CONTEXT_KEY, f)
+	} else {
+		return self.c.WithWaitingStatus(waitingStatus, f)
+	}
 }
 
 // Shows a prompt to choose between creating a new branch or checking out a detached head
 func (self *RefsHelper) CheckoutRemoteBranch(fullBranchName string, localBranchName string) error {
 	checkout := func(branchName string) error {
-		if err := self.CheckoutRef(branchName, types.CheckoutRefOptions{}); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		// Switch to the branches context _before_ starting to check out the
+		// branch, so that we see the inline status
 		if self.c.CurrentContext() != self.c.Contexts().Branches {
-			return self.c.PushContext(self.c.Contexts().Branches)
+			if err := self.c.PushContext(self.c.Contexts().Branches); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
-		return nil
+		return self.CheckoutRef(branchName, types.CheckoutRefOptions{})
 	}
 
 	// If a branch with this name already exists locally, just check it out. We
diff --git a/pkg/gui/presentation/item_operations.go b/pkg/gui/presentation/item_operations.go
index 13415483b..b3ebaf8df 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/presentation/item_operations.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/presentation/item_operations.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ func ItemOperationToString(itemOperation types.ItemOperation, tr *i18n.Translati
 		return tr.DeletingStatus
 	case types.ItemOperationFetching:
 		return tr.FetchingStatus
+	case types.ItemOperationCheckingOut:
+		return tr.CheckingOutStatus
 	}
 
 	return ""
diff --git a/pkg/gui/types/common.go b/pkg/gui/types/common.go
index 91aec4913..e53260b34 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/types/common.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/types/common.go
@@ -309,6 +309,7 @@ const (
 	ItemOperationFastForwarding
 	ItemOperationDeleting
 	ItemOperationFetching
+	ItemOperationCheckingOut
 )
 
 type HasUrn interface {