diff --git a/Command/Init.hs b/Command/Init.hs
index e2a6eb7b03..a6d72e4226 100644
--- a/Command/Init.hs
+++ b/Command/Init.hs
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@ module Command.Init where
 
 import Common.Annex
 import Command
-import Annex.UUID
-import Logs.UUID
 import Init
 	
 def :: [Command]
@@ -29,7 +27,5 @@ start ws = do
 
 perform :: String -> CommandPerform
 perform description = do
-	initialize
-	u <- getUUID
-	describeUUID u description
+	initialize (Just description)
 	next $ return True
diff --git a/Init.hs b/Init.hs
index 8c79002bcb..8cec98c5fc 100644
--- a/Init.hs
+++ b/Init.hs
@@ -19,13 +19,14 @@ import Logs.UUID
 import Annex.Version
 import Annex.UUID
 
-initialize :: Annex ()
-initialize = do
+initialize :: Maybe String -> Annex ()
+initialize mdescription = do
 	prepUUID
 	Annex.Branch.create
 	setVersion
 	gitPreCommitHookWrite
-	getUUID >>= recordUUID
+	u <- getUUID
+	maybe (recordUUID u) (describeUUID u) mdescription
 
 uninitialize :: Annex ()
 uninitialize = gitPreCommitHookUnWrite
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ ensureInitialized = getVersion >>= maybe needsinit checkVersion
 		needsinit = do
 			annexed <- Annex.Branch.hasSomeBranch
 			if annexed
-				then initialize
+				then initialize Nothing
 				else error "First run: git-annex init"
 
 {- set up a git pre-commit hook, if one is not already present -}