diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6797aaa..25a4eb1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](http://keepachangelog.com/) and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Fixed
+
+- Fixes [#791](https://github.com/eamodio/vscode-gitlens/issues/791) - Notification of unstashed changes in working directory on failed checkout
+
 ## [9.8.5] - 2019-07-10
 
 ### Changed
@@ -2979,6 +2985,10 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](http://keepachangelog.com/) and this p
 
 - Initial release but still heavily a work in progress.
 
+[9.8.5]: https://github.com/eamodio/vscode-gitlens/compare/v9.8.4...eamodio:v9.8.5
+[9.8.4]: https://github.com/eamodio/vscode-gitlens/compare/v9.8.3...eamodio:v9.8.4
+[9.8.3]: https://github.com/eamodio/vscode-gitlens/compare/v9.8.2...eamodio:v9.8.3
+[9.8.2]: https://github.com/eamodio/vscode-gitlens/compare/v9.8.1...eamodio:v9.8.2
 [9.8.1]: https://github.com/eamodio/vscode-gitlens/compare/v9.8.0...eamodio:v9.8.1
 [9.8.0]: https://github.com/eamodio/vscode-gitlens/compare/v9.7.4...eamodio:v9.8.0
 [9.7.4]: https://github.com/eamodio/vscode-gitlens/compare/v9.7.3...eamodio:v9.7.4
diff --git a/src/git/gitService.ts b/src/git/gitService.ts
index 07a9e98..6cd9a20 100644
--- a/src/git/gitService.ts
+++ b/src/git/gitService.ts
@@ -498,8 +498,22 @@ export class GitService implements Disposable {
     }
 
     @log()
-    checkout(repoPath: string, ref: string, fileName?: string) {
-        return Git.checkout(repoPath, ref, fileName);
+    async checkout(repoPath: string, ref: string, fileName?: string) {
+        const cc = Logger.getCorrelationContext();
+
+        try {
+            return await Git.checkout(repoPath, ref, fileName);
+        }
+        catch (ex) {
+            if (/overwritten by checkout/i.test(ex.message)) {
+                void Messages.showGenericErrorMessage(`Unable to checkout '${ref}'. Please commit or stash your changes before switching branches`);
+                return undefined;
+            }
+
+            Logger.error(ex, cc);
+            void void Messages.showGenericErrorMessage(`Unable to checkout '${ref}'`);
+            return undefined;
+        }
     }
 
     @gate()