diff --git a/cmd/bashbrew/cmd-cat.go b/cmd/bashbrew/cmd-cat.go
index 01daae40..c2fac1c0 100644
--- a/cmd/bashbrew/cmd-cat.go
+++ b/cmd/bashbrew/cmd-cat.go
@@ -56,6 +56,13 @@ func cmdCat(c *cli.Context) error {
 		"arch": func() string {
 			return arch
 		},
+		"gitCache": func() (string, error) {
+			err := ensureGitInit()
+			if err != nil {
+				return "", err
+			}
+			return gitCache(), nil
+		},
 		"ociPlatform": func(arch string) *architecture.OCIPlatform {
 			if ociArch, ok := architecture.SupportedArches[arch]; ok {
 				return &ociArch
diff --git a/cmd/bashbrew/cmd-fetch.go b/cmd/bashbrew/cmd-fetch.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a14d39d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/bashbrew/cmd-fetch.go
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/urfave/cli"
+)
+
+func cmdFetch(c *cli.Context) error {
+	repos, err := repos(c.Bool("all"), c.Args()...)
+	if err != nil {
+		return cli.NewMultiError(fmt.Errorf(`failed gathering repo list`), err)
+	}
+
+	applyConstraints := c.Bool("apply-constraints")
+	archFilter := c.Bool("arch-filter")
+
+	for _, repo := range repos {
+		r, err := fetch(repo)
+		if err != nil {
+			return cli.NewMultiError(fmt.Errorf(`failed fetching repo %q`, repo), err)
+		}
+
+		for _, entry := range r.Entries() {
+			if applyConstraints && r.SkipConstraints(entry) {
+				continue
+			}
+			if archFilter && !entry.HasArchitecture(arch) {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			arches := entry.Architectures
+			if applyConstraints || archFilter {
+				arches = []string{arch}
+			}
+
+			for _, entryArch := range arches {
+				commit, err := r.fetchGitRepo(entryArch, entry)
+				if err != nil {
+					return cli.NewMultiError(fmt.Errorf(`failed fetching git repo for %q (tags %q on arch %q)`, r.RepoName, entry.TagsString(), entryArch), err)
+				}
+				if debugFlag {
+					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "DEBUG: fetched %s (%q, %q)\n", commit, r.EntryIdentifier(entry), entryArch)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/bashbrew/main.go b/cmd/bashbrew/main.go
index efc20ff6..75385460 100644
--- a/cmd/bashbrew/main.go
+++ b/cmd/bashbrew/main.go
@@ -402,6 +402,19 @@ func main() {
 
 			Category: "plumbing",
 		},
+		{
+			Name:  "fetch",
+			Usage: "ensure Git contents are local",
+			Flags: []cli.Flag{
+				commonFlags["all"],
+				commonFlags["apply-constraints"],
+				commonFlags["arch-filter"],
+			},
+			Before: subcommandBeforeFactory("fetch"),
+			Action: cmdFetch,
+
+			Category: "plumbing",
+		},
 		{
 			Name:     "remote",
 			Usage:    "query registries for bashbrew-related data",