diff --git a/hggit/git_handler.py b/hggit/git_handler.py
index 843f409526fbea3ffde674922b730075d5cfd4d3_aGdnaXQvZ2l0X2hhbmRsZXIucHk=..93cb29247d6136b5af30e52de34680232149aeef_aGdnaXQvZ2l0X2hhbmRsZXIucHk= 100644
--- a/hggit/git_handler.py
+++ b/hggit/git_handler.py
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@
 
             if remote_name:
                 self.update_remote_branches(remote_name, result.refs)
-            elif not self.paths:
+            elif not self.git.refs.as_dict('refs/remotes/'):
                 # intial cloning
                 self.update_remote_branches('default', result.refs)