diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -5364,6 +5364,8 @@ def paths(ui, repo, search=None):
             else:
                 ui.write("%s = %s\n" % (name,
                                         util.hidepassword(path.loc)))
+                for subopt, value in sorted(path.suboptions.items()):
+                    ui.write('%s:%s = %s\n' % (name, subopt, value))
 
 @command('phase',
     [('p', 'public', False, _('set changeset phase to public')),
diff --git a/mercurial/help/config.txt b/mercurial/help/config.txt
--- a/mercurial/help/config.txt
+++ b/mercurial/help/config.txt
@@ -1127,29 +1127,43 @@ command or with Mercurial Queues extensi
 ``paths``
 ---------
 
-Assigns symbolic names to repositories. The left side is the
-symbolic name, and the right gives the directory or URL that is the
-location of the repository. Default paths can be declared by setting
-the following entries.
+Assigns symbolic names and behavior to repositories.
+
+Options are symbolic names defining the URL or directory that is the
+location of the repository. Example::
+
+    [paths]
+    my_server = https://example.com/my_repo
+    local_path = /home/me/repo
+
+These symbolic names can be used from the command line. To pull
+from ``my_server``: :hg:`pull my_server`. To push to ``local_path``:
+:hg:`push local_path`.
+
+Options containing colons (``:``) denote sub-options that can influence
+behavior for that specific path. Example::
+
+    [paths]
+    my_server = https://example.com/my_path
+    my_server:pushurl = ssh://example.com/my_path
+
+The following sub-options can be defined:
+
+``pushurl``
+   The URL to use for push operations. If not defined, the location
+   defined by the path's main entry is used.
+
+The following special named paths exist:
 
 ``default``
-    Directory or URL to use when pulling if no source is specified.
-    (default: repository from which the current repository was cloned)
+   The URL or directory to use when no source or remote is specified.
+
+   :hg:`clone` will automatically define this path to the location the
+   repository was cloned from.
 
 ``default-push``
-    Optional. Directory or URL to use when pushing if no destination
-    is specified.
-
-Custom paths can be defined by assigning the path to a name that later can be
-used from the command line. Example::
-
-    [paths]
-    my_path = http://example.com/path
-
-To push to the path defined in ``my_path`` run the command::
-
-    hg push my_path
-
+   (deprecated) The URL or directory for the default :hg:`push` location.
+   ``default:pushurl`` should be used instead.
 
 ``phases``
 ----------
diff --git a/mercurial/ui.py b/mercurial/ui.py
--- a/mercurial/ui.py
+++ b/mercurial/ui.py
@@ -1063,7 +1063,7 @@ class paths(dict):
     def __init__(self, ui):
         dict.__init__(self)
 
-        for name, loc in ui.configitems('paths'):
+        for name, loc in ui.configitems('paths', ignoresub=True):
             # No location is the same as not existing.
             if not loc:
                 continue
@@ -1071,7 +1071,8 @@ class paths(dict):
             # TODO ignore default-push once all consumers stop referencing it
             # since it is handled specifically below.
 
-            self[name] = path(ui, name, rawloc=loc)
+            loc, sub = ui.configsuboptions('paths', name)
+            self[name] = path(ui, name, rawloc=loc, suboptions=sub)
 
         # Handle default-push, which is a one-off that defines the push URL for
         # the "default" path.
@@ -1120,10 +1121,48 @@ class paths(dict):
 
         assert False
 
+_pathsuboptions = {}
+
+def pathsuboption(option, attr):
+    """Decorator used to declare a path sub-option.
+
+    Arguments are the sub-option name and the attribute it should set on
+    ``path`` instances.
+
+    The decorated function will receive as arguments a ``ui`` instance,
+    ``path`` instance, and the string value of this option from the config.
+    The function should return the value that will be set on the ``path``
+    instance.
+
+    This decorator can be used to perform additional verification of
+    sub-options and to change the type of sub-options.
+    """
+    def register(func):
+        _pathsuboptions[option] = (attr, func)
+        return func
+    return register
+
+@pathsuboption('pushurl', 'pushloc')
+def pushurlpathoption(ui, path, value):
+    u = util.url(value)
+    # Actually require a URL.
+    if not u.scheme:
+        ui.warn(_('(paths.%s:pushurl not a URL; ignoring)\n') % path.name)
+        return None
+
+    # Don't support the #foo syntax in the push URL to declare branch to
+    # push.
+    if u.fragment:
+        ui.warn(_('("#fragment" in paths.%s:pushurl not supported; '
+                  'ignoring)\n') % path.name)
+        u.fragment = None
+
+    return str(u)
+
 class path(object):
     """Represents an individual path and its configuration."""
 
-    def __init__(self, ui, name, rawloc=None, pushloc=None):
+    def __init__(self, ui, name, rawloc=None, suboptions=None):
         """Construct a path from its config options.
 
         ``ui`` is the ``ui`` instance the path is coming from.
@@ -1151,7 +1190,6 @@ class path(object):
         self.name = name
         self.rawloc = rawloc
         self.loc = str(u)
-        self.pushloc = pushloc
 
         # When given a raw location but not a symbolic name, validate the
         # location is valid.
@@ -1159,6 +1197,19 @@ class path(object):
             raise ValueError('location is not a URL or path to a local '
                              'repo: %s' % rawloc)
 
+        suboptions = suboptions or {}
+
+        # Now process the sub-options. If a sub-option is registered, its
+        # attribute will always be present. The value will be None if there
+        # was no valid sub-option.
+        for suboption, (attr, func) in _pathsuboptions.iteritems():
+            if suboption not in suboptions:
+                setattr(self, attr, None)
+                continue
+
+            value = func(ui, self, suboptions[suboption])
+            setattr(self, attr, value)
+
     def _isvalidlocalpath(self, path):
         """Returns True if the given path is a potentially valid repository.
         This is its own function so that extensions can change the definition of
@@ -1166,6 +1217,19 @@ class path(object):
         one)."""
         return os.path.isdir(os.path.join(path, '.hg'))
 
+    @property
+    def suboptions(self):
+        """Return sub-options and their values for this path.
+
+        This is intended to be used for presentation purposes.
+        """
+        d = {}
+        for subopt, (attr, _func) in _pathsuboptions.iteritems():
+            value = getattr(self, attr)
+            if value is not None:
+                d[subopt] = value
+        return d
+
 # we instantiate one globally shared progress bar to avoid
 # competing progress bars when multiple UI objects get created
 _progresssingleton = None
diff --git a/tests/test-default-push.t b/tests/test-default-push.t
--- a/tests/test-default-push.t
+++ b/tests/test-default-push.t
@@ -69,3 +69,26 @@ Pushing to a path that isn't defined sho
   $ hg --cwd b push doesnotexist
   abort: repository doesnotexist does not exist!
   [255]
+
+:pushurl is used when defined
+
+  $ hg -q clone a pushurlsource
+  $ hg -q clone a pushurldest
+  $ cd pushurlsource
+  $ cat > .hg/hgrc << EOF
+  > [paths]
+  > default = https://example.com/not/relevant
+  > default:pushurl = file://`pwd`/../pushurldest
+  > EOF
+
+  $ touch pushurl
+  $ hg -q commit -A -m 'add pushurl'
+  $ hg push
+  pushing to file:/*/$TESTTMP/pushurlsource/../pushurldest (glob)
+  searching for changes
+  adding changesets
+  adding manifests
+  adding file changes
+  added 1 changesets with 1 changes to 1 files
+
+  $ cd ..
diff --git a/tests/test-help.t b/tests/test-help.t
--- a/tests/test-help.t
+++ b/tests/test-help.t
@@ -1207,28 +1207,43 @@ Test section lookup
       "paths"
       -------
   
-      Assigns symbolic names to repositories. The left side is the symbolic
-      name, and the right gives the directory or URL that is the location of the
-      repository. Default paths can be declared by setting the following
-      entries.
+      Assigns symbolic names and behavior to repositories.
+  
+      Options are symbolic names defining the URL or directory that is the
+      location of the repository. Example:
+  
+        [paths]
+        my_server = https://example.com/my_repo
+        local_path = /home/me/repo
+  
+      These symbolic names can be used from the command line. To pull from
+      "my_server": "hg pull my_server". To push to "local_path": "hg push
+      local_path".
+  
+      Options containing colons (":") denote sub-options that can influence
+      behavior for that specific path. Example:
+  
+        [paths]
+        my_server = https://example.com/my_path
+        my_server:pushurl = ssh://example.com/my_path
+  
+      The following sub-options can be defined:
+  
+      "pushurl"
+         The URL to use for push operations. If not defined, the location
+         defined by the path's main entry is used.
+  
+      The following special named paths exist:
   
       "default"
-          Directory or URL to use when pulling if no source is specified.
-          (default: repository from which the current repository was cloned)
+         The URL or directory to use when no source or remote is specified.
+  
+         "hg clone" will automatically define this path to the location the
+         repository was cloned from.
   
       "default-push"
-          Optional. Directory or URL to use when pushing if no destination is
-          specified.
-  
-      Custom paths can be defined by assigning the path to a name that later can
-      be used from the command line. Example:
-  
-        [paths]
-        my_path = http://example.com/path
-  
-      To push to the path defined in "my_path" run the command:
-  
-        hg push my_path
+         (deprecated) The URL or directory for the default "hg push" location.
+         "default:pushurl" should be used instead.
   
   $ hg help glossary.mcguffin
   abort: help section not found
diff --git a/tests/test-paths.t b/tests/test-paths.t
--- a/tests/test-paths.t
+++ b/tests/test-paths.t
@@ -44,6 +44,59 @@
   [1]
   $ cd ..
 
+sub-options for an undeclared path are ignored
+
+  $ hg init suboptions
+  $ cd suboptions
+
+  $ cat > .hg/hgrc << EOF
+  > [paths]
+  > path0 = https://example.com/path0
+  > path1:pushurl = https://example.com/path1
+  > EOF
+  $ hg paths
+  path0 = https://example.com/path0
+
+unknown sub-options aren't displayed
+
+  $ cat > .hg/hgrc << EOF
+  > [paths]
+  > path0 = https://example.com/path0
+  > path0:foo = https://example.com/path1
+  > EOF
+
+  $ hg paths
+  path0 = https://example.com/path0
+
+:pushurl must be a URL
+
+  $ cat > .hg/hgrc << EOF
+  > [paths]
+  > default = /path/to/nothing
+  > default:pushurl = /not/a/url
+  > EOF
+
+  $ hg paths
+  (paths.default:pushurl not a URL; ignoring)
+  default = /path/to/nothing
+
+#fragment is not allowed in :pushurl
+
+  $ cat > .hg/hgrc << EOF
+  > [paths]
+  > default = https://example.com/repo
+  > invalid = https://example.com/repo
+  > invalid:pushurl = https://example.com/repo#branch
+  > EOF
+
+  $ hg paths
+  ("#fragment" in paths.invalid:pushurl not supported; ignoring)
+  default = https://example.com/repo
+  invalid = https://example.com/repo
+  invalid:pushurl = https://example.com/repo
+
+  $ cd ..
+
 'file:' disables [paths] entries for clone destination
 
   $ cat >> $HGRCPATH <<EOF