diff --git a/builtin/clone.c b/builtin/clone.c
index b087ee4..258bfd6 100644
--- a/builtin/clone.c
+++ b/builtin/clone.c
@@ -851,8 +851,22 @@
 	return err;
 }
 
+static int git_clone_config(const char *k, const char *v, void *cb)
+{
+	return git_default_config(k, v, cb);
+}
+
 static int write_one_config(const char *key, const char *value, void *data)
 {
+	/*
+	 * give git_clone_config a chance to write config values back to the
+	 * environment, since git_config_set_multivar_gently only deals with
+	 * config-file writes
+	 */
+	int apply_failed = git_clone_config(key, value, data);
+	if (apply_failed)
+		return apply_failed;
+
 	return git_config_set_multivar_gently(key,
 					      value ? value : "true",
 					      CONFIG_REGEX_NONE, 0);
@@ -964,6 +978,9 @@
 	struct strvec ref_prefixes = STRVEC_INIT;
 
 	packet_trace_identity("clone");
+
+	git_config(git_clone_config, NULL);
+
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, builtin_clone_options,
 			     builtin_clone_usage, 0);
 
@@ -1125,9 +1142,17 @@
 	if (real_git_dir)
 		git_dir = real_git_dir;
 
+	/*
+	 * additional config can be injected with -c, make sure it's included
+	 * after init_db, which clears the entire config environment.
+	 */
 	write_config(&option_config);
 
-	git_config(git_default_config, NULL);
+	/*
+	 * re-read config after init_db and write_config to pick up any config
+	 * injected by --template and --config, respectively.
+	 */
+	git_config(git_clone_config, NULL);
 
 	if (option_bare) {
 		if (option_mirror)