diff --git a/git-remote-hg b/git-remote-hg
index c1c7558..7088c70 100755
--- a/git-remote-hg
+++ b/git-remote-hg
@@ -456,6 +456,7 @@ def get_repo(url, alias):
         repo = hg.repository(myui, url)
         if not os.path.exists(dirname):
             os.makedirs(dirname)
+        branchmap = repo.branchmap()
     else:
         shared_path = os.path.join(gitdir, 'hg')