diff --git a/cgit.c b/cgit.c
index 3c11ff0..b282a67 100644
--- a/cgit.c
+++ b/cgit.c
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ static void cgit_print_repo_page(struct cacheitem *item)
 	char *title;
 	int show_search;
 
+	if (!cgit_query_head)
+		cgit_query_head = cgit_repo->defbranch;
+
 	if (chdir(cgit_repo->path)) {
 		title = fmt("%s - %s", cgit_root_title, "Bad request");
 		cgit_print_docstart(title, item);
diff --git a/cgit.h b/cgit.h
index f5906ad..ac710a6 100644
--- a/cgit.h
+++ b/cgit.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ struct repoinfo {
 	char *path;
 	char *desc;
 	char *owner;
+	char *defbranch;
 	char *module_link;
 	int snapshots;
 };
diff --git a/shared.c b/shared.c
index 8505397..a1e1acd 100644
--- a/shared.c
+++ b/shared.c
@@ -32,10 +32,6 @@ int cgit_cache_max_create_time =  5;
 int cgit_max_msg_len = 60;
 int cgit_max_commit_count = 50;
 
-char *cgit_repo_name    = NULL;
-char *cgit_repo_desc    = NULL;
-char *cgit_repo_owner   = NULL;
-
 int cgit_query_has_symref = 0;
 int cgit_query_has_sha1   = 0;
 
@@ -86,6 +82,7 @@ struct repoinfo *add_repo(const char *url)
 	ret->path = NULL;
 	ret->desc = NULL;
 	ret->owner = NULL;
+	ret->defbranch = "master";
 	ret->snapshots = cgit_snapshots;
 	ret->module_link = cgit_module_link;
 	return ret;
@@ -133,6 +130,8 @@ void cgit_global_config_cb(const char *name, const char *value)
 		cgit_repo->desc = xstrdup(value);
 	else if (cgit_repo && !strcmp(name, "repo.owner"))
 		cgit_repo->owner = xstrdup(value);
+	else if (cgit_repo && !strcmp(name, "repo.defbranch"))
+		cgit_repo->defbranch = xstrdup(value);
 	else if (cgit_repo && !strcmp(name, "repo.snapshots"))
 		cgit_repo->snapshots = atoi(value);
 	else if (cgit_repo && !strcmp(name, "repo.module-link"))
@@ -141,16 +140,6 @@ void cgit_global_config_cb(const char *name, const char *value)
 		cgit_read_config(value, cgit_global_config_cb);
 }
 
-void cgit_repo_config_cb(const char *name, const char *value)
-{
-	if (!strcmp(name, "name"))
-		cgit_repo_name = xstrdup(value);
-	else if (!strcmp(name, "desc"))
-		cgit_repo_desc = xstrdup(value);
-	else if (!strcmp(name, "owner"))
-		cgit_repo_owner = xstrdup(value);
-}
-
 void cgit_querystring_cb(const char *name, const char *value)
 {
 	if (!strcmp(name,"r")) {