diff --git a/app/models/project.rb b/app/models/project.rb
index ae96f00a705..d5d57bafb98 100644
--- a/app/models/project.rb
+++ b/app/models/project.rb
@@ -803,17 +803,7 @@ class Project < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def open_branches
-    # We're using a Set here as checking values in a large Set is faster than
-    # checking values in a large Array.
-    protected_set = Set.new(protected_branch_names)
-
-    repository.branches.reject do |branch|
-      protected_set.include?(branch.name)
-    end
-  end
-
-  def protected_branch_names
-    @protected_branch_names ||= protected_branches.pluck(:name)
+    repository.branches.reject { |branch| self.protected_branch?(branch.name) }
   end
 
   def root_ref?(branch)
@@ -830,11 +820,12 @@ class Project < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   # Check if current branch name is marked as protected in the system
   def protected_branch?(branch_name)
-    protected_branch_names.include?(branch_name)
+    @protected_branches ||= self.protected_branches.to_a
+    ProtectedBranch.matching(branch_name, protected_branches: @protected_branches).present?
   end
 
   def developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?(branch_name)
-    protected_branches.any? { |pb| pb.name == branch_name && pb.developers_can_push }
+    protected_branches.matching(branch_name).any?(&:developers_can_push)
   end
 
   def forked?
diff --git a/app/models/protected_branch.rb b/app/models/protected_branch.rb
index 33cf046fa75..3db1ab0e5f9 100644
--- a/app/models/protected_branch.rb
+++ b/app/models/protected_branch.rb
@@ -8,4 +8,40 @@ class ProtectedBranch < ActiveRecord::Base
   def commit
     project.commit(self.name)
   end
+
+  # Returns all protected branches that match the given branch name.
+  # This realizes all records from the scope built up so far, and does
+  # _not_ return a relation.
+  #
+  # This method optionally takes in a list of `protected_branches` to search
+  # through, to avoid calling out to the database.
+  def self.matching(branch_name, protected_branches: nil)
+    (protected_branches || all).select { |protected_branch| protected_branch.matches?(branch_name) }
+  end
+
+  # Checks if the protected branch matches the given branch name.
+  def matches?(branch_name)
+    return false if self.name.blank?
+
+    exact_match?(branch_name) || wildcard_match?(branch_name)
+  end
+
+  protected
+
+  def exact_match?(branch_name)
+    self.name == branch_name
+  end
+
+  def wildcard_match?(branch_name)
+    wildcard_regex === branch_name
+  end
+
+  def wildcard_regex
+    @wildcard_regex ||= begin
+      name = self.name.gsub('*', 'STAR_DONT_ESCAPE')
+      quoted_name = Regexp.quote(name)
+      regex_string = quoted_name.gsub('STAR_DONT_ESCAPE', '.*?')
+      /\A#{regex_string}\z/
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/project_spec.rb b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
index a8c777d1e3e..117ffd551e4 100644
--- a/spec/models/project_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/project_spec.rb
@@ -437,6 +437,14 @@ describe Project, models: true do
 
     it { expect(project.open_branches.map(&:name)).to include('feature') }
     it { expect(project.open_branches.map(&:name)).not_to include('master') }
+
+    it "does not include branches matching a protected branch wildcard" do
+      expect(project.open_branches.map(&:name)).to include('feature')
+
+      create(:protected_branch, name: 'feat*', project: project)
+
+      expect(Project.find(project.id).open_branches.map(&:name)).not_to include('feature')
+    end
   end
 
   describe '#star_count' do
@@ -937,15 +945,67 @@ describe Project, models: true do
   describe '#protected_branch?' do
     let(:project) { create(:empty_project) }
 
-    it 'returns true when a branch is a protected branch' do
+    it 'returns true when the branch matches a protected branch via direct match' do
       project.protected_branches.create!(name: 'foo')
 
       expect(project.protected_branch?('foo')).to eq(true)
     end
 
-    it 'returns false when a branch is not a protected branch' do
+    it 'returns true when the branch matches a protected branch via wildcard match' do
+      project.protected_branches.create!(name: 'production/*')
+
+      expect(project.protected_branch?('production/some-branch')).to eq(true)
+    end
+
+    it 'returns false when the branch does not match a protected branch via direct match' do
       expect(project.protected_branch?('foo')).to eq(false)
     end
+
+    it 'returns false when the branch does not match a protected branch via wildcard match' do
+      project.protected_branches.create!(name: 'production/*')
+
+      expect(project.protected_branch?('staging/some-branch')).to eq(false)
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?" do
+    let(:project) { create(:empty_project) }
+
+    context "when the branch matches a protected branch via direct match" do
+      it "returns true if 'Developers can Push' is turned on" do
+        create(:protected_branch, name: "production", project: project, developers_can_push: true)
+
+        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('production')).to be true
+      end
+
+      it "returns false if 'Developers can Push' is turned off" do
+        create(:protected_branch, name: "production", project: project, developers_can_push: false)
+
+        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('production')).to be false
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when the branch matches a protected branch via wilcard match" do
+      it "returns true if 'Developers can Push' is turned on" do
+        create(:protected_branch, name: "production/*", project: project, developers_can_push: true)
+
+        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('production/some-branch')).to be true
+      end
+
+      it "returns false if 'Developers can Push' is turned off" do
+        create(:protected_branch, name: "production/*", project: project, developers_can_push: false)
+
+        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('production/some-branch')).to be false
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when the branch does not match a protected branch" do
+      it "returns false" do
+        create(:protected_branch, name: "production/*", project: project, developers_can_push: true)
+
+        expect(project.developers_can_push_to_protected_branch?('staging/some-branch')).to be false
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe '#container_registry_path_with_namespace' do
diff --git a/spec/models/protected_branch_spec.rb b/spec/models/protected_branch_spec.rb
index b523834c6e9..8bf0d24a128 100644
--- a/spec/models/protected_branch_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/protected_branch_spec.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe ProtectedBranch, models: true do
+  subject { build_stubbed(:protected_branch) }
+
   describe 'Associations' do
     it { is_expected.to belong_to(:project) }
   end
@@ -12,4 +14,127 @@ describe ProtectedBranch, models: true do
     it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:project) }
     it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:name) }
   end
+
+  describe "#matches?" do
+    context "when the protected branch setting is not a wildcard" do
+      let(:protected_branch) { build(:protected_branch, name: "production/some-branch") }
+
+      it "returns true for branch names that are an exact match" do
+        expect(protected_branch.matches?("production/some-branch")).to be true
+      end
+
+      it "returns false for branch names that are not an exact match" do
+        expect(protected_branch.matches?("staging/some-branch")).to be false
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when the protected branch name contains wildcard(s)" do
+      context "when there is a single '*'" do
+        let(:protected_branch) { build(:protected_branch, name: "production/*") }
+
+        it "returns true for branch names matching the wildcard" do
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("production/some-branch")).to be true
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("production/")).to be true
+        end
+
+        it "returns false for branch names not matching the wildcard" do
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("staging/some-branch")).to be false
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("production")).to be false
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "when the wildcard contains regex symbols other than a '*'" do
+        let(:protected_branch) { build(:protected_branch, name: "pro.duc.tion/*") }
+
+        it "returns true for branch names matching the wildcard" do
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("pro.duc.tion/some-branch")).to be true
+        end
+
+        it "returns false for branch names not matching the wildcard" do
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("production/some-branch")).to be false
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("proXducYtion/some-branch")).to be false
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "when there are '*'s at either end" do
+        let(:protected_branch) { build(:protected_branch, name: "*/production/*") }
+
+        it "returns true for branch names matching the wildcard" do
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("gitlab/production/some-branch")).to be true
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("/production/some-branch")).to be true
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("gitlab/production/")).to be true
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("/production/")).to be true
+        end
+
+        it "returns false for branch names not matching the wildcard" do
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("gitlabproductionsome-branch")).to be false
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("production/some-branch")).to be false
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("gitlab/production")).to be false
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("production")).to be false
+        end
+      end
+
+      context "when there are arbitrarily placed '*'s" do
+        let(:protected_branch) { build(:protected_branch, name: "pro*duction/*/gitlab/*") }
+
+        it "returns true for branch names matching the wildcard" do
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("production/some-branch/gitlab/second-branch")).to be true
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("proXYZduction/some-branch/gitlab/second-branch")).to be true
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("proXYZduction/gitlab/gitlab/gitlab")).to be true
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("proXYZduction//gitlab/")).to be true
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("proXYZduction/some-branch/gitlab/")).to be true
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("proXYZduction//gitlab/some-branch")).to be true
+        end
+
+        it "returns false for branch names not matching the wildcard" do
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("production/some-branch/not-gitlab/second-branch")).to be false
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("prodXYZuction/some-branch/gitlab/second-branch")).to be false
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("proXYZduction/gitlab/some-branch/gitlab")).to be false
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("proXYZduction/gitlab//")).to be false
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("proXYZduction/gitlab/")).to be false
+          expect(protected_branch.matches?("proXYZduction//some-branch/gitlab")).to be false
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#matching" do
+    context "for direct matches" do
+      it "returns a list of protected branches matching the given branch name" do
+        production = create(:protected_branch, name: "production")
+        staging = create(:protected_branch, name: "staging")
+
+        expect(ProtectedBranch.matching("production")).to include(production)
+        expect(ProtectedBranch.matching("production")).not_to include(staging)
+      end
+
+      it "accepts a list of protected branches to search from, so as to avoid a DB call" do
+        production = build(:protected_branch, name: "production")
+        staging = build(:protected_branch, name: "staging")
+
+        expect(ProtectedBranch.matching("production")).to be_empty
+        expect(ProtectedBranch.matching("production", protected_branches: [production, staging])).to include(production)
+        expect(ProtectedBranch.matching("production", protected_branches: [production, staging])).not_to include(staging)
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "for wildcard matches" do
+      it "returns a list of protected branches matching the given branch name" do
+        production = create(:protected_branch, name: "production/*")
+        staging = create(:protected_branch, name: "staging/*")
+
+        expect(ProtectedBranch.matching("production/some-branch")).to include(production)
+        expect(ProtectedBranch.matching("production/some-branch")).not_to include(staging)
+      end
+
+      it "accepts a list of protected branches to search from, so as to avoid a DB call" do
+        production = build(:protected_branch, name: "production/*")
+        staging = build(:protected_branch, name: "staging/*")
+
+        expect(ProtectedBranch.matching("production/some-branch")).to be_empty
+        expect(ProtectedBranch.matching("production/some-branch", protected_branches: [production, staging])).to include(production)
+        expect(ProtectedBranch.matching("production/some-branch", protected_branches: [production, staging])).not_to include(staging)
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end