diff --git a/docs/internal-fs-layout.md b/docs/internal-fs-layout.md
index 5e8690b..3537dfd 100644
--- a/docs/internal-fs-layout.md
+++ b/docs/internal-fs-layout.md
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ User controlled settings are initialized when running `repo init`.
 |-------------------|---------------------------|-------------|
 | manifest.groups   | `--groups` & `--platform` | The manifest groups to sync |
 | repo.archive      | `--archive`               | Use `git archive` for checkouts |
+| repo.clonebundle  | `--clone-bundle`          | Whether the initial sync used clone.bundle explicitly |
 | repo.clonefilter  | `--clone-filter`          | Filter setting when using [partial git clones] |
 | repo.depth        | `--depth`                 | Create shallow checkouts when cloning |
 | repo.dissociate   | `--dissociate`            | Dissociate from any reference/mirrors after initial clone |
diff --git a/manifest_xml.py b/manifest_xml.py
index b2918ca..b6aef51 100644
--- a/manifest_xml.py
+++ b/manifest_xml.py
@@ -501,6 +501,14 @@ https://gerrit.googlesource.com/git-repo/+/HEAD/docs/manifest-format.md
     self._Load()
     return self._manifest_server
 
+  @property
+  def CloneBundle(self):
+    clone_bundle = self.manifestProject.config.GetBoolean('repo.clonebundle')
+    if clone_bundle is None:
+      return False if self.manifestProject.config.GetBoolean('repo.partialclone') else True
+    else:
+      return clone_bundle
+
   @property
   def CloneFilter(self):
     if self.manifestProject.config.GetBoolean('repo.partialclone'):
diff --git a/repo b/repo
index be59c87..18c7e77 100755
--- a/repo
+++ b/repo
@@ -317,9 +317,11 @@ def GetParser(gitc_init=False):
                    help='restrict manifest projects to ones with a specified '
                         'platform group [auto|all|none|linux|darwin|...]',
                    metavar='PLATFORM')
+  group.add_option('--clone-bundle', action='store_true',
+                   help='enable use of /clone.bundle on HTTP/HTTPS (default if not --partial-clone)')
   group.add_option('--no-clone-bundle',
-                   dest='clone_bundle', default=True, action='store_false',
-                   help='disable use of /clone.bundle on HTTP/HTTPS')
+                   dest='clone_bundle', action='store_false',
+                   help='disable use of /clone.bundle on HTTP/HTTPS (default if --partial-clone)')
   group.add_option('--no-tags',
                    dest='tags', default=True, action='store_false',
                    help="don't fetch tags in the manifest")
@@ -502,6 +504,9 @@ def _Init(args, gitc_init=False):
   opt.quiet = opt.output_mode is False
   opt.verbose = opt.output_mode is True
 
+  if opt.clone_bundle is None:
+    opt.clone_bundle = False if opt.partial_clone else True
+
   url = opt.repo_url or REPO_URL
   rev = opt.repo_rev or REPO_REV
 
diff --git a/subcmds/init.py b/subcmds/init.py
index ce8b018..eb82e2e 100644
--- a/subcmds/init.py
+++ b/subcmds/init.py
@@ -155,9 +155,11 @@ to update the working directory files.
                  help='restrict manifest projects to ones with a specified '
                       'platform group [auto|all|none|linux|darwin|...]',
                  metavar='PLATFORM')
+    g.add_option('--clone-bundle', action='store_true',
+                 help='force use of /clone.bundle on HTTP/HTTPS (default if not --partial-clone)')
     g.add_option('--no-clone-bundle',
-                 dest='clone_bundle', default=True, action='store_false',
-                 help='disable use of /clone.bundle on HTTP/HTTPS')
+                 dest='clone_bundle', action='store_false',
+                 help='disable use of /clone.bundle on HTTP/HTTPS (default if --partial-clone)')
     g.add_option('--no-tags',
                  dest='tags', default=True, action='store_false',
                  help="don't fetch tags in the manifest")
@@ -303,6 +305,11 @@ to update the working directory files.
     else:
       opt.clone_filter = None
 
+    if opt.clone_bundle is None:
+      opt.clone_bundle = False if opt.partial_clone else True
+    else:
+      m.config.SetString('repo.clonebundle', 'true' if opt.clone_bundle else 'false')
+
     if opt.submodules:
       m.config.SetString('repo.submodules', 'true')
 
diff --git a/subcmds/sync.py b/subcmds/sync.py
index efd3961..a40dd5e 100644
--- a/subcmds/sync.py
+++ b/subcmds/sync.py
@@ -247,8 +247,9 @@ later is required to fix a server side protocol bug.
     p.add_option('-m', '--manifest-name',
                  dest='manifest_name',
                  help='temporary manifest to use for this sync', metavar='NAME.xml')
-    p.add_option('--no-clone-bundle',
-                 dest='clone_bundle', default=True, action='store_false',
+    p.add_option('--clone-bundle', action='store_true',
+                 help='enable use of /clone.bundle on HTTP/HTTPS')
+    p.add_option('--no-clone-bundle', dest='clone_bundle', action='store_false',
                  help='disable use of /clone.bundle on HTTP/HTTPS')
     p.add_option('-u', '--manifest-server-username', action='store',
                  dest='manifest_server_username',
@@ -836,6 +837,9 @@ later is required to fix a server side protocol bug.
     smart_sync_manifest_path = os.path.join(
         self.manifest.manifestProject.worktree, 'smart_sync_override.xml')
 
+    if opt.clone_bundle is None:
+      opt.clone_bundle = self.manifest.CloneBundle
+
     if opt.smart_sync or opt.smart_tag:
       manifest_name = self._SmartSyncSetup(opt, smart_sync_manifest_path)
     else: