diff --git a/crates/build/src/config/dependency.rs b/crates/build/src/config/dependency.rs
index 9de32e3..bd31a48 100644
--- a/crates/build/src/config/dependency.rs
+++ b/crates/build/src/config/dependency.rs
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ pub enum Dependency {
 pub enum GitRef {
     Rev(String),
     Tag(String),
+    Branch(String),
 }
 
 #[derive(Deserialize, Default)]
@@ -51,6 +52,8 @@ struct RawDependency {
     rev: Option<String>,
     /// The specific tag to download (only applicable if `git` is provided).
     tag: Option<String>,
+    /// The specific branch to download (only applicable if `branch` is provided)
+    branch: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl DependencyConfig {
@@ -144,17 +147,18 @@ impl RawDependency {
             (Some(_), Some(_)) => Err(DependencyValidationError::Conflicting(name.into())),
             (None, None) => Err(DependencyValidationError::Missing(name.into())),
             (Some(p), None) => {
-                if self.rev.is_some() || self.tag.is_some() {
+                if self.rev.is_some() || self.tag.is_some() || self.branch.is_some() {
                     return Err(DependencyValidationError::PathWithGitField(name.into()));
                 }
 
                 Ok(Dependency::Path(p))
             }
             (None, Some(url)) => {
-                let reference = match (self.rev, self.tag) {
-                    (None, None) => None,
-                    (Some(v), None) => Some(GitRef::Rev(v)),
-                    (None, Some(t)) => Some(GitRef::Tag(t)),
+                let reference = match (self.rev, self.tag, self.branch) {
+                    (None, None, None) => None,
+                    (Some(v), None, None) => Some(GitRef::Rev(v)),
+                    (None, Some(t), None) => Some(GitRef::Tag(t)),
+                    (None, None, Some(b)) => Some(GitRef::Branch(b)),
                     _ => return Err(DependencyValidationError::ConflictingGitRef(name.into())),
                 };
 
diff --git a/crates/build/src/error.rs b/crates/build/src/error.rs
index 8b6ce53..6080ce5 100644
--- a/crates/build/src/error.rs
+++ b/crates/build/src/error.rs
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ pub enum DependencyValidationError {
     #[error("Invalid dependency '{0}': cannot specify both 'path' and 'git', choose one")]
     Conflicting(String),
 
-    #[error("Invalid dependency '{0}': `path` cannot be combined with git-only fields (rev/tag)")]
+    #[error("Invalid dependency '{0}': `path` cannot be combined with git-only fields (rev/tag/branch)")]
     PathWithGitField(String),
 
-    #[error("Invalid dependency '{0}': only one of `rev`, `tag` may be set")]
+    #[error("Invalid dependency '{0}': only one of `rev`, `tag`, `branch` may be set")]
     ConflictingGitRef(String),
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/build/src/resolver.rs b/crates/build/src/resolver.rs
index b5a5c85..d39d42a 100644
--- a/crates/build/src/resolver.rs
+++ b/crates/build/src/resolver.rs
@@ -113,9 +113,10 @@ impl ArtifactsResolver {
         let repo_name = clean_url.split('/').next_back()?;
 
         let tag = match reference {
-            Some(GitRef::Rev(rev)) => rev.as_str(),
-            Some(GitRef::Tag(tag)) => tag.as_str(),
-            None => "HEAD",
+            Some(GitRef::Rev(rev)) => format!("rev={rev}"),
+            Some(GitRef::Tag(tag)) => format!("tag={tag}"),
+            Some(GitRef::Branch(branch)) => format!("branch={branch}"),
+            None => "HEAD".into(),
         };
         let url = format!("{url}@{tag}");
 
diff --git a/crates/cli/assets/Simplex.default.toml b/crates/cli/assets/Simplex.default.toml
index 5ab8f8b..a82e912 100644
--- a/crates/cli/assets/Simplex.default.toml
+++ b/crates/cli/assets/Simplex.default.toml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 # out_dir = "./src/artifacts"
 
 # [dependencies]
-# some_dep = { git = "<git url>", path = "<or relative path>", <tag | rev> = "<tag name | commit>" } 
+# some_dep = { git = "<git url>", path = "<or relative path>", <tag | rev | branch> = "<tag name | commit | branch>" }
 
 # [regtest]
 # mnemonic = "exist carry drive collect lend cereal occur much tiger just involve mean"
diff --git a/crates/cli/src/commands/install.rs b/crates/cli/src/commands/install.rs
index b8b0cd9..dedf7a9 100644
--- a/crates/cli/src/commands/install.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/src/commands/install.rs
@@ -115,6 +115,9 @@ impl Install {
                 execute_git(&["clone", url, target_str])?;
                 execute_git(&["-C", target_str, "checkout", rev.as_str()])?;
             }
+            Some(GitRef::Branch(branch)) => {
+                execute_git(&["clone", "--depth", "1", "--branch", branch.as_str(), url, target_str])?;
+            }
             None => {
                 execute_git(&["clone", "--depth", "1", url, target_str])?;
             }