diff --git a/gitHappens.py b/gitHappens.py
index 27d47f3..0a1d5d2 100755
--- a/gitHappens.py
+++ b/gitHappens.py
@@ -336,13 +336,18 @@ def startIssueCreation(project_id, title, milestone, epic, iteration, selectedSe
     createdMergeRequest = create_merge_request(project_id, createdBranch, createdIssue, selectedSettings.get('labels'), milestone)
     print(f"Merge request #{createdMergeRequest['iid']}: {createdMergeRequest['title']} created.")
 
-    print("Run:")
-    print("         git fetch origin")
-    print(f"         git checkout -b '{createdMergeRequest['source_branch']}' 'origin/{createdMergeRequest['source_branch']}'")
-    print("to switch to new branch.")
+    checkoutBranch(createdMergeRequest['source_branch'])
+    print(f"Switched to branch {createdMergeRequest['source_branch']}.")
 
     return createdIssue
 
+def checkoutBranch(branchName):
+    subprocess.check_call(['git', 'fetch', 'origin'])
+    try:
+        subprocess.check_call(['git', 'checkout', branchName])
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        subprocess.check_call(['git', 'checkout', '-b', branchName, f'origin/{branchName}'])
+
 def getCurrentBranch():
     return subprocess.check_output(['git', 'rev-parse', '--abbrev-ref', 'HEAD'], text=True).strip()
 
@@ -842,4 +847,4 @@ def main():
         startIssueCreation(project_id, title, milestone, epic, iteration, selectedSettings, onlyIssue)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    main()
\ No newline at end of file
+    main()
diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8b13789
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+
diff --git a/tests/test_start_issue_creation.py b/tests/test_start_issue_creation.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f52aea5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_start_issue_creation.py
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+import importlib.util
+import sys
+import types
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest import mock
+
+
+def load_githappens_module():
+    root = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+    config_dir = root / "configs"
+    config_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+    (config_dir / "config.ini").write_text(
+        "[DEFAULT]\n"
+        "base_url=https://gitlab.example\n"
+        "group_id=1\n"
+        "custom_template=Custom\n"
+        "GITLAB_TOKEN=test-token\n"
+        "squash_commits=true\n"
+        "delete_branch_after_merge=true\n",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    (config_dir / "templates.json").write_text(
+        '{"templates": [], "reviewers": []}',
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+
+    inquirer_stub = types.SimpleNamespace(
+        prompt=mock.Mock(),
+        Text=lambda *args, **kwargs: ("Text", args, kwargs),
+        List=lambda *args, **kwargs: ("List", args, kwargs),
+        Checkbox=lambda *args, **kwargs: ("Checkbox", args, kwargs),
+    )
+    sys.modules["inquirer"] = inquirer_stub
+
+    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location("gitHappens_under_test", root / "gitHappens.py")
+    module = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+    spec.loader.exec_module(module)
+    return module
+
+
+class StartIssueCreationTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_switches_to_created_merge_request_branch(self):
+        git_happens = load_githappens_module()
+        created_issue = {"iid": 12, "title": "Fix broken thing"}
+        created_branch = {"name": "12-fix-broken-thing"}
+        created_merge_request = {
+            "iid": 34,
+            "title": "Fix broken thing",
+            "source_branch": "12-fix-broken-thing",
+        }
+
+        git_happens.inquirer.prompt.return_value = {"estimated_time": ""}
+        with mock.patch.object(git_happens, "createIssue", return_value=created_issue), \
+             mock.patch.object(git_happens, "create_branch", return_value=created_branch), \
+             mock.patch.object(git_happens, "create_merge_request", return_value=created_merge_request), \
+             mock.patch.object(git_happens, "checkoutBranch", create=True) as checkout_branch:
+            result = git_happens.startIssueCreation(
+                99,
+                "Fix broken thing",
+                False,
+                False,
+                False,
+                {"labels": ["Bug"]},
+                False,
+            )
+
+        self.assertEqual(result, created_issue)
+        checkout_branch.assert_called_once_with("12-fix-broken-thing")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()