diff --git a/builtin/update-server-info.c b/builtin/update-server-info.c
index 47a3f0bdd9..d7467290a8 100644
--- a/builtin/update-server-info.c
+++ b/builtin/update-server-info.c
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#define USE_THE_REPOSITORY_VARIABLE
 #include "builtin.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "gettext.h"
@@ -13,7 +12,7 @@ static const char * const update_server_info_usage[] = {
 int cmd_update_server_info(int argc,
 			   const char **argv,
 			   const char *prefix,
-			   struct repository *repo UNUSED)
+			   struct repository *repo)
 {
 	int force = 0;
 	struct option options[] = {
@@ -21,11 +20,12 @@ int cmd_update_server_info(int argc,
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
-	git_config(git_default_config, NULL);
+	if (repo)
+		repo_config(repo, git_default_config, NULL);
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options,
 			     update_server_info_usage, 0);
 	if (argc > 0)
 		usage_with_options(update_server_info_usage, options);
 
-	return !!update_server_info(the_repository, force);
+	return !!update_server_info(repo, force);
 }