diff --git a/fetch-pack.c b/fetch-pack.c
index b6470932fb..ff79e56ac4 100644
--- a/fetch-pack.c
+++ b/fetch-pack.c
@@ -289,7 +289,8 @@ done:
 		}
 		flushes--;
 	}
-	return retval;
+	/* it is no error to fetch into a completely empty repo */
+	return count ? retval : 0;
 }
 
 static struct commit_list *complete;