diff --git a/mercurial/cmdutil.py b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
--- a/mercurial/cmdutil.py
+++ b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
@@ -1024,8 +1024,15 @@ def walkchangerevs(repo, match, opts, pr
 
             return reversed(revs)
         def iterfiles():
+            pctx = repo['.']
             for filename in match.files():
-                yield filename, None
+                if follow:
+                    if filename not in pctx:
+                        raise util.Abort(_('cannot follow file not in parent '
+                                           'revision: "%s"') % filename)
+                    yield filename, pctx[filename].filenode()
+                else:
+                    yield filename, None
             for filename_node in copies:
                 yield filename_node
         for file_, node in iterfiles():
diff --git a/tests/test-convert-hg-startrev.t b/tests/test-convert-hg-startrev.t
--- a/tests/test-convert-hg-startrev.t
+++ b/tests/test-convert-hg-startrev.t
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ Convert from merge parent
   o  0 "1: add c" files: a b c
   
   $ cd conv1
+  $ hg up -q
 
 Check copy preservation
 
diff --git a/tests/test-log.t b/tests/test-log.t
--- a/tests/test-log.t
+++ b/tests/test-log.t
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ changeset graph
 -f, directory
 
   $ hg log -f dir
-  abort: cannot follow nonexistent file: "dir"
+  abort: cannot follow file not in parent revision: "dir"
   [255]
 
 -f, but no args
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ changeset graph
 
 one rename
 
+  $ hg up -q 2
   $ hg log -vf a
   changeset:   0:9161b9aeaf16
   user:        test
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@ one rename
 
 many renames
 
+  $ hg up -q tip
   $ hg log -vf e
   changeset:   4:7e4639b4691b
   tag:         tip
@@ -125,6 +127,7 @@ many renames
 
 log -pf dir/b
 
+  $ hg up -q 3
   $ hg log -pf dir/b
   changeset:   2:f8954cd4dc1f
   user:        test
@@ -189,6 +192,20 @@ log -vf dir/b
   
 
 
+-f and multiple filelog heads
+
+  $ hg up -q 2
+  $ hg log -f g --template '{rev}\n'
+  2
+  1
+  0
+  $ hg up -q tip
+  $ hg log -f g --template '{rev}\n'
+  3
+  2
+  0
+
+
 log copies with --copies
 
   $ hg log -vC --template '{rev} {file_copies}\n'