diff --git a/mercurial/context.py b/mercurial/context.py
--- a/mercurial/context.py
+++ b/mercurial/context.py
@@ -987,6 +987,8 @@ class commitablectx(basectx):
     def clean(self):
         assert self._clean is not None  # must call status first
         return self._clean
+    def branch(self):
+        return encoding.tolocal(self._extra['branch'])
 
 class workingctx(commitablectx):
     """A workingctx object makes access to data related to
@@ -1014,8 +1016,6 @@ class workingctx(commitablectx):
             p = p[:-1]
         return [changectx(self._repo, x) for x in p]
 
-    def branch(self):
-        return encoding.tolocal(self._extra['branch'])
     def closesbranch(self):
         return 'close' in self._extra
     def extra(self):