diff --git a/guix/git.scm b/guix/git.scm
index e73f4b98559ca845c109bf08f718884f1169f94f..ad4fc30c4b1c17b866c1786fed9ed271261cde30 100644
--- a/guix/git.scm
+++ b/guix/git.scm
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ (define (clone* url directory)
   (with-throw-handler #t
     (lambda ()
       (mkdir-p directory)
-      (clone url directory))
+
+      ;; Note: Explicitly pass options to work around the invalid default
+      ;; value in Guile-Git: <https://bugs.gnu.org/29238>.
+      (clone url directory (clone-init-options)))
     (lambda _
       (false-if-exception (rmdir directory)))))