diff --git a/hgext/convert/__init__.py b/hgext/convert/__init__.py
--- a/hgext/convert/__init__.py
+++ b/hgext/convert/__init__.py
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ configitem('convert', 'git.similarity',
 configitem('convert', 'git.skipsubmodules',
     default=False,
 )
+configitem('convert', 'hg.clonebranches',
+    default=False,
+)
 
 # Commands definition was moved elsewhere to ease demandload job.
 
diff --git a/hgext/convert/hg.py b/hgext/convert/hg.py
--- a/hgext/convert/hg.py
+++ b/hgext/convert/hg.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ class mercurial_sink(common.converter_si
     def __init__(self, ui, path):
         common.converter_sink.__init__(self, ui, path)
         self.branchnames = ui.configbool('convert', 'hg.usebranchnames', True)
-        self.clonebranches = ui.configbool('convert', 'hg.clonebranches', False)
+        self.clonebranches = ui.configbool('convert', 'hg.clonebranches')
         self.tagsbranch = ui.config('convert', 'hg.tagsbranch', 'default')
         self.lastbranch = None
         if os.path.isdir(path) and len(os.listdir(path)) > 0: