diff --git a/Command/Describe.hs b/Command/Describe.hs
index 2ad3e01ee5..453e4ebafc 100644
--- a/Command/Describe.hs
+++ b/Command/Describe.hs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ seek :: [CommandSeek]
 seek = [withWords start]
 
 start :: CommandStartWords
-start ws = notBareRepo $ do
+start ws = do
 	let (name, description) =
 		case ws of
 			(n:d) -> (n,unwords d)
diff --git a/Command/Fsck.hs b/Command/Fsck.hs
index 0e3df03dd0..cb062342d7 100644
--- a/Command/Fsck.hs
+++ b/Command/Fsck.hs
@@ -64,11 +64,11 @@ verifyLocationLog key file = do
 
 	case (present, u `elem` uuids) of
 		(True, False) -> do
-				fix u ValuePresent
+				fix g u ValuePresent
 				-- There is no data loss, so do not fail.
 				return True
 		(False, True) -> do
-				fix u ValueMissing
+				fix g u ValueMissing
 				warning $
 					"** Based on the location log, " ++ file
 					++ "\n** was expected to be present, " ++
@@ -77,6 +77,6 @@ verifyLocationLog key file = do
 		_ -> return True
 	
 	where
-		fix u s = do
+		fix g u s = do
 			showNote "fixing location log"
-			logStatusFor u key s
+			logChange g key u s
diff --git a/Command/Init.hs b/Command/Init.hs
index df416eed36..7f5773117a 100644
--- a/Command/Init.hs
+++ b/Command/Init.hs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 module Command.Init where
 
 import Control.Monad.State (liftIO)
-import Control.Monad (when)
+import Control.Monad (when, unless)
 import System.Directory
 
 import Command
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ perform description = do
 	u <- getUUID g
 	setVersion
 	describeUUID u description
-	gitPreCommitHookWrite g
+	unless (Git.repoIsLocalBare g) $
+		gitPreCommitHookWrite g
 	next $ return True
 
 {- set up a git pre-commit hook, if one is not already present -}
diff --git a/Command/InitRemote.hs b/Command/InitRemote.hs
index 67030689da..a3054630c3 100644
--- a/Command/InitRemote.hs
+++ b/Command/InitRemote.hs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ seek :: [CommandSeek]
 seek = [withWords start]
 
 start :: CommandStartWords
-start ws = notBareRepo $ do
+start ws = do
 	when (null ws) $ needname
 
 	(u, c) <- findByName name
diff --git a/Command/Move.hs b/Command/Move.hs
index f49fe20e00..7fa195bab5 100644
--- a/Command/Move.hs
+++ b/Command/Move.hs
@@ -51,12 +51,12 @@ showAction False file = showStart "copy" file
 {- Used to log a change in a remote's having a key. The change is logged
  - in the local repo, not on the remote. The process of transferring the
  - key to the remote, or removing the key from it *may* log the change
- - on the remote, but this cannot be relied on. For example, it's not done
- - for bare repos. -}
+ - on the remote, but this cannot be relied on. -}
 remoteHasKey :: Remote.Remote Annex -> Key -> Bool -> Annex ()
 remoteHasKey remote key present	= do
 	let remoteuuid = Remote.uuid remote
-	logStatusFor remoteuuid key status
+	g <- Annex.gitRepo
+	logChange g key remoteuuid status
 	where
 		status = if present then ValuePresent else ValueMissing
 
diff --git a/Command/Semitrust.hs b/Command/Semitrust.hs
index 11742137f1..b467861bf9 100644
--- a/Command/Semitrust.hs
+++ b/Command/Semitrust.hs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ seek :: [CommandSeek]
 seek = [withWords start]
 
 start :: CommandStartWords
-start ws = notBareRepo $ do
+start ws = do
 	let name = unwords ws
 	showStart "semitrust" name
 	u <- Remote.nameToUUID name
diff --git a/Command/Trust.hs b/Command/Trust.hs
index d5444affe6..41eb17ccdd 100644
--- a/Command/Trust.hs
+++ b/Command/Trust.hs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ seek :: [CommandSeek]
 seek = [withWords start]
 
 start :: CommandStartWords
-start ws = notBareRepo $ do
+start ws = do
 	let name = unwords ws
 	showStart "trust" name
 	u <- Remote.nameToUUID name
diff --git a/Command/Untrust.hs b/Command/Untrust.hs
index 174c395066..ea23208006 100644
--- a/Command/Untrust.hs
+++ b/Command/Untrust.hs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ seek :: [CommandSeek]
 seek = [withWords start]
 
 start :: CommandStartWords
-start ws = notBareRepo $ do
+start ws = do
 	let name = unwords ws
 	showStart "untrust" name
 	u <- Remote.nameToUUID name
diff --git a/Content.hs b/Content.hs
index 5d77cc9795..45653fc9e7 100644
--- a/Content.hs
+++ b/Content.hs
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ module Content (
 	inAnnex,
 	calcGitLink,
 	logStatus,
-	logStatusFor,
 	getViaTmp,
 	getViaTmpUnchecked,
 	withTmp,
@@ -27,7 +26,7 @@ import System.IO.Error (try)
 import System.Directory
 import Control.Monad.State (liftIO)
 import System.Path
-import Control.Monad (when, unless, filterM)
+import Control.Monad (when, filterM)
 import System.Posix.Files
 import System.FilePath
 import Data.Maybe
@@ -71,16 +70,9 @@ calcGitLink file key = do
  - updated instead. -}
 logStatus :: Key -> LogStatus -> Annex ()
 logStatus key status = do
-	u <- getUUID =<< Annex.gitRepo
-	logStatusFor u key status
-
-{- Updates the LocationLog when a key's presence changes in a repository
- - identified by UUID. -}
-logStatusFor :: UUID -> Key -> LogStatus -> Annex ()
-logStatusFor u key status = do
 	g <- Annex.gitRepo
-	unless (Git.repoIsLocalBare g) $ do
-		logChange g key u status
+	u <- getUUID g
+	logChange g key u status
 
 {- Runs an action, passing it a temporary filename to download,
  - and if the action succeeds, moves the temp file into 
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 360121cbf7..a76a0534e2 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ git-annex (0.20110611) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
 
   * New repository format, annex.version=3. Use `git annex upgrade` to migrate.
 
+  * Improved handling of bare git repos with annexes. Many more commands will
+    work in them.
   * rsync is now used when copying files from repos on other filesystems.
     cp is still used when copying file from repos on the same filesystem,
     since --reflink=auto can make it significantly faster on filesystems
diff --git a/doc/bare_repositories.mdwn b/doc/bare_repositories.mdwn
index 5cbad5c2d8..c5663d84cf 100644
--- a/doc/bare_repositories.mdwn
+++ b/doc/bare_repositories.mdwn
@@ -14,12 +14,9 @@ Known to work ok:
 * `git annex drop` can check that a bare repository has a copy of data
   that is being dropped.
 * `git annex get` can transfer data from a bare repository.
+* Most other stuff (ie, init, describe, trust, etc.)
 
 There are a few caveats to keep in mind when using bare repositories:
 
-* Some subcommands, like `fsck`, `trust`, `unused` and `fromkey`, 
-  cannot be run in a bare repository. Those subcommands will
-  refuse to do anything.
-* `git annex setkey` is a plumbing-level command; using it manually
-  to add content to a bare repository is not recommended, since there
-  will be no record that the content is stored there.
+* A few subcommands, like `unused` cannot be run in a bare repository.
+  Those subcommands will refuse to do anything.