diff --git a/benchmarks/basic_commands.py b/benchmarks/basic_commands.py
index 4416910524f0f26e5bab9caf597259b0450aa12b_YmVuY2htYXJrcy9iYXNpY19jb21tYW5kcy5weQ==..0ed21ee8ec3363f9868fc52fcef91fb0a442f28e_YmVuY2htYXJrcy9iYXNpY19jb21tYW5kcy5weQ== 100644
--- a/benchmarks/basic_commands.py
+++ b/benchmarks/basic_commands.py
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@
         repo_suffix = urllib.quote_plus(self.strip)
         # We need to use the repo name here because the repo doesn't contains
         # the hash
-        self.clone_path = os.path.join(REPOS_DIR, '.cache', '{}-partial-{}'.format(
+        self.clone_path = os.path.join(REPOS_DIR, 'partial-references', '{}-partial-{}'.format(
             self.repo_name, repo_suffix))
 
     def teardown(self, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/create_stripped_cached_repos.py b/create_stripped_cached_repos.py
index 4416910524f0f26e5bab9caf597259b0450aa12b_Y3JlYXRlX3N0cmlwcGVkX2NhY2hlZF9yZXBvcy5weQ==..0ed21ee8ec3363f9868fc52fcef91fb0a442f28e_Y3JlYXRlX3N0cmlwcGVkX2NhY2hlZF9yZXBvcy5weQ== 100644
--- a/create_stripped_cached_repos.py
+++ b/create_stripped_cached_repos.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 
 def clone_repositories(config, partial_revset, repos_dir):
-    cachedir = join(repos_dir, ".cache")
+    cachedir = join(repos_dir, "partial-references")
     try:
         os.makedirs(cachedir)
     except OSError as exc:
diff --git a/lib/before-check.sh b/lib/before-check.sh
index 4416910524f0f26e5bab9caf597259b0450aa12b_bGliL2JlZm9yZS1jaGVjay5zaA==..0ed21ee8ec3363f9868fc52fcef91fb0a442f28e_bGliL2JlZm9yZS1jaGVjay5zaA== 100755
--- a/lib/before-check.sh
+++ b/lib/before-check.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 fi
 
 mkdir -p repos/
-mkdir -p repos/.cache
+mkdir -p repos/partial-references
 make MAKE_VERBOSE=1 -f repos.make
 
 ./repo-scripts/rename-reference-directories repos
diff --git a/repos.make b/repos.make
index 4416910524f0f26e5bab9caf597259b0450aa12b_cmVwb3MubWFrZQ==..0ed21ee8ec3363f9868fc52fcef91fb0a442f28e_cmVwb3MubWFrZQ== 100644
--- a/repos.make
+++ b/repos.make
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 repos:
 	mkdir repos
 
-repos/.cache: | repos
-	mkdir repos/.cache
+repos/partial-references: | repos
+	mkdir repos/partial-references
 
 repos/%.benchrepo:\
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@
 
 repos/%.benchrepo:\
-    repos/.cache/%-partial-same/.hg/requires\
-    repos/.cache/%-partial-last-ten/.hg/requires\
-    repos/.cache/%-partial-last-hundred/.hg/requires\
-    repos/.cache/%-partial-last-thousand/.hg/requires\
+    repos/partial-references/%-partial-same/.hg/requires\
+    repos/partial-references/%-partial-last-ten/.hg/requires\
+    repos/partial-references/%-partial-last-hundred/.hg/requires\
+    repos/partial-references/%-partial-last-thousand/.hg/requires\
     | repos
 	(cd repos/; curl $(SOURCE)/$*-reference.tar | tar x --touch; hg -R $*-reference update tip)
 
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@
     | repos
 	(cd repos/; curl $(SOURCE)/$*-reference.tar | tar x --touch; hg -R $*-reference update tip)
 
-repos/.cache/%-partial-same/.hg/requires: | repos/.cache
-	(cd repos/.cache/; curl $(SOURCE)/$*-partial-same.tar | tar x --touch)
+repos/partial-references/%-partial-same/.hg/requires: | repos/partial-references
+	(cd repos/partial-references/; curl $(SOURCE)/$*-partial-same.tar | tar x --touch)
 
@@ -33,4 +33,4 @@
 
-repos/.cache/%-partial-last-ten/.hg/requires: | repos/.cache
-	(cd repos/.cache/; curl $(SOURCE)/$*-partial-last-ten.tar | tar x --touch)
+repos/partial-references/%-partial-last-ten/.hg/requires: | repos/partial-references
+	(cd repos/partial-references/; curl $(SOURCE)/$*-partial-last-ten.tar | tar x --touch)
 
@@ -36,4 +36,4 @@
 
-repos/.cache/%-partial-last-hundred/.hg/requires: | repos/.cache
-	(cd repos/.cache/; curl $(SOURCE)/$*-partial-last-hundred.tar | tar x --touch)
+repos/partial-references/%-partial-last-hundred/.hg/requires: | repos/partial-references
+	(cd repos/partial-references/; curl $(SOURCE)/$*-partial-last-hundred.tar | tar x --touch)
 
@@ -39,3 +39,3 @@
 
-repos/.cache/%-partial-last-thousand/.hg/requires: | repos/.cache
-	(cd repos/.cache/; curl $(SOURCE)/$*-partial-last-thousand.tar | tar x --touch)
+repos/partial-references/%-partial-last-thousand/.hg/requires: | repos/partial-references
+	(cd repos/partial-references/; curl $(SOURCE)/$*-partial-last-thousand.tar | tar x --touch)
diff --git a/tests/test-smoke-test.t b/tests/test-smoke-test.t
index 4416910524f0f26e5bab9caf597259b0450aa12b_dGVzdHMvdGVzdC1zbW9rZS10ZXN0LnQ=..0ed21ee8ec3363f9868fc52fcef91fb0a442f28e_dGVzdHMvdGVzdC1zbW9rZS10ZXN0LnQ= 100644
--- a/tests/test-smoke-test.t
+++ b/tests/test-smoke-test.t
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@
   > 
   > repos/smoke-test-A-4753a6da.benchrepo:
   > 	(cd repos; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-reference.tar --warning=no-timestamp; hg -R smoke-test-A-4753a6da-reference update --quiet tip)
-  > 	(cd repos/.cache/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-hundred.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
-  > 	(cd repos/.cache/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-ten.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
-  > 	(cd repos/.cache/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-thousand.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
-  > 	(cd repos/.cache/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-same.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  > 	(cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-hundred.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  > 	(cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-ten.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  > 	(cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-thousand.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  > 	(cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-same.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
   > repos/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48.benchrepo:
   > 	(cd repos; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-reference.tar --warning=no-timestamp; hg -R smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-reference update --quiet tip)
@@ -64,9 +64,9 @@
   > repos/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48.benchrepo:
   > 	(cd repos; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-reference.tar --warning=no-timestamp; hg -R smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-reference update --quiet tip)
-  > 	(cd repos/.cache/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-last-hundred.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
-  > 	(cd repos/.cache/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-last-ten.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
-  > 	(cd repos/.cache/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-last-thousand.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
-  > 	(cd repos/.cache/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-same.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  > 	(cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-last-hundred.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  > 	(cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-last-ten.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  > 	(cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-last-thousand.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  > 	(cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf \$(SOURCE)/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-same.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
   > EOF
 
 setup appropriate virtual env
@@ -135,6 +135,6 @@
   + '[' '!' -d mercurial ']'
   + hg clone https://www.mercurial-scm.org/repo/hg mercurial
   + mkdir -p repos/
-  + mkdir -p repos/.cache
+  + mkdir -p repos/partial-references
   + make MAKE_VERBOSE=1 -f repos.make
   (cd repos; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-reference.tar --warning=no-timestamp; hg -R smoke-test-A-4753a6da-reference update --quiet tip)
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@
   + make MAKE_VERBOSE=1 -f repos.make
   (cd repos; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-reference.tar --warning=no-timestamp; hg -R smoke-test-A-4753a6da-reference update --quiet tip)
-  (cd repos/.cache/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-hundred.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
-  (cd repos/.cache/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-ten.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
-  (cd repos/.cache/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-thousand.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
-  (cd repos/.cache/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-same.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  (cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-hundred.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  (cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-ten.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  (cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-thousand.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  (cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-same.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
   (cd repos; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-reference.tar --warning=no-timestamp; hg -R smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-reference update --quiet tip)
@@ -145,8 +145,8 @@
   (cd repos; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-reference.tar --warning=no-timestamp; hg -R smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-reference update --quiet tip)
-  (cd repos/.cache/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-last-hundred.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
-  (cd repos/.cache/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-last-ten.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
-  (cd repos/.cache/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-last-thousand.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
-  (cd repos/.cache/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-same.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  (cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-last-hundred.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  (cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-last-ten.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  (cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-last-thousand.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
+  (cd repos/partial-references/; tar xf "$TESTTMP/references"/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-partial-same.tar --warning=no-timestamp )
   + ./repo-scripts/rename-reference-directories repos
   Renaming repos/smoke-test-A-4753a6da-reference into repos/smoke-test-A-4753a6da
   Renaming repos/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48-reference into repos/smoke-test-B-cfe96b48
@@ -189,9 +189,10 @@
 check the repos directory afterwards
 
   $ ls repos/
+  partial-references
   skip.json
   smoke-test-A-4753a6da
   smoke-test-A-4753a6da.benchrepo
   smoke-test-B-cfe96b48
   smoke-test-B-cfe96b48.benchrepo
 
@@ -192,10 +193,10 @@
   skip.json
   smoke-test-A-4753a6da
   smoke-test-A-4753a6da.benchrepo
   smoke-test-B-cfe96b48
   smoke-test-B-cfe96b48.benchrepo
 
-  $ ls repos/.cache/
+  $ ls repos/partial-references/
   smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-hundred
   smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-ten
   smoke-test-A-4753a6da-partial-last-thousand