diff --git a/hgext/convert/__init__.py b/hgext/convert/__init__.py
--- a/hgext/convert/__init__.py
+++ b/hgext/convert/__init__.py
@@ -88,6 +88,9 @@ configitem('convert', 'hg.startrev',
 configitem('convert', 'hg.tagsbranch',
     default='default',
 )
+configitem('convert', 'hg.usebranchnames',
+    default=True,
+)
 
 # 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
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ sha1re = re.compile(r'\b[0-9a-f]{12,40}\
 class mercurial_sink(common.converter_sink):
     def __init__(self, ui, path):
         common.converter_sink.__init__(self, ui, path)
-        self.branchnames = ui.configbool('convert', 'hg.usebranchnames', True)
+        self.branchnames = ui.configbool('convert', 'hg.usebranchnames')
         self.clonebranches = ui.configbool('convert', 'hg.clonebranches')
         self.tagsbranch = ui.config('convert', 'hg.tagsbranch')
         self.lastbranch = None