Project Branch restrictions block branch creation

Question

Hello,
we configured branch restrictions on a project level for the master branch. So all repositories accept changes only by Merge via pull requests from branches different to the master.

Then we created a new repository containing one master branch. 
And now it seems that BitBucket wants us to create a readme or .gitignore file before we can create new branches in the new repository.

But the project settings do not allow a direct commit to the master branch.

So I had to deactivate the restrictions for the whole project. Then we added a .gitinore and committed it to the master. After that we were able to create a new branch and the branch restrictions wer reactivated.

How can we keep the branch restrictions on the project level and work with new repositories?
How can we get this first file needed in a repository if merges to the master without QA measures are forbidden?

Sascha Metz_stq0mx · Answer

Hello Aron,

thank you for your fast reaction.

It seems that your screen is only available after the first file was added to the new repository.
If you create a new repository without these files

then you enter the repository after creation and find this

But adding a file is forbidden without a pull request.
And since there is no option to create a branch I don't see a way to create a PR.

Currently the only workaround is the temporal deactivation of the restrictions.

Aron Gombas _Midori_ · Answer

How can we keep the branch restrictions on the project level and work with new repositories?

As far as I know, it is not possible. (There are other settings that can be set on the project level, like custom merge checks, but even that is possible only in the Premium plan.)

How can we get this first file needed in a repository if merges to the master without QA measures are forbidden?

Have you tried the "add file" from the web UI? (I don't know how that works in the background, but it is definitely worth a 10 second long try.)