diff --git a/hgext/mq.py b/hgext/mq.py
index 1f733c2f0165f175e6741a27aece2caa23d013b3_aGdleHQvbXEucHk=..0c2b443fb3c33ab02aad7093a418ae00a8c8c3db_aGdleHQvbXEucHk= 100644
--- a/hgext/mq.py
+++ b/hgext/mq.py
@@ -1610,6 +1610,8 @@
                     del heads[h]
                 destrev = heads.keys()
                 destrev.append(sr.changelog.parents(qbase)[0])
+    elif sr.capable('lookup'):
+        qbase = sr.lookup('qbase')
     ui.note(_('cloning main repo\n'))
     sr, dr = hg.clone(ui, sr.url(), dest,
                       pull=opts['pull'],