diff --git a/manifest.py b/manifest.py
index 0762098b..a2fc9601 100644
--- a/manifest.py
+++ b/manifest.py
@@ -40,5 +40,8 @@ class Manifest(object):
   def projects(self):
     return {}
 
+  def InitBranch(self):
+    pass
+
   def SetMRefs(self, project):
     pass
diff --git a/manifest_xml.py b/manifest_xml.py
index 66cdf3e3..45896be9 100644
--- a/manifest_xml.py
+++ b/manifest_xml.py
@@ -169,6 +169,12 @@ class XmlManifest(Manifest):
     self._Load()
     return self._default
 
+  def InitBranch(self):
+    m = self.manifestProject
+    if m.CurrentBranch is None:
+      return m.StartBranch('default')
+    return True
+
   def SetMRefs(self, project):
     if self.branch:
       project._InitAnyMRef(R_M + self.branch)
diff --git a/subcmds/init.py b/subcmds/init.py
index ec87d036..0075b0b4 100644
--- a/subcmds/init.py
+++ b/subcmds/init.py
@@ -130,10 +130,9 @@ to update the working directory files.
     m.Sync_LocalHalf(syncbuf)
     syncbuf.Finish()
 
-    if is_new or m.CurrentBranch is None:
-      if not m.StartBranch('default'):
-        print >>sys.stderr, 'fatal: cannot create default in manifest'
-        sys.exit(1)
+    if not self.manifest.InitBranch():
+      print >>sys.stderr, 'fatal: cannot create branch in manifest'
+      sys.exit(1)
 
   def _LinkManifest(self, name):
     if not name: