diff --git a/builtin/clone.c b/builtin/clone.c
index fb377b2765..5bed37f8b5 100644
--- a/builtin/clone.c
+++ b/builtin/clone.c
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ static int git_sparse_checkout_init(const char *repo)
 {
 	struct strvec argv = STRVEC_INIT;
 	int result = 0;
-	strvec_pushl(&argv, "-C", repo, "sparse-checkout", "init", NULL);
+	strvec_pushl(&argv, "-C", repo, "sparse-checkout", "set", NULL);
 
 	/*
 	 * We must apply the setting in the current process