diff --git a/hgext/convert/__init__.py b/hgext/convert/__init__.py
--- a/hgext/convert/__init__.py
+++ b/hgext/convert/__init__.py
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ configitem('convert', 'skiptags',
 configitem('convert', 'svn.debugsvnlog',
     default=True,
 )
+configitem('convert', 'svn.startrev',
+    default=0,
+)
 
 # Commands definition was moved elsewhere to ease demandload job.
 
diff --git a/hgext/convert/subversion.py b/hgext/convert/subversion.py
--- a/hgext/convert/subversion.py
+++ b/hgext/convert/subversion.py
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ class svn_source(converter_source):
 
         self.trunkname = self.ui.config('convert', 'svn.trunk',
                                         'trunk').strip('/')
-        self.startrev = self.ui.config('convert', 'svn.startrev', default=0)
+        self.startrev = self.ui.config('convert', 'svn.startrev')
         try:
             self.startrev = int(self.startrev)
             if self.startrev < 0: