diff --git a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/commands/GitCommand.java b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/commands/GitCommand.java
index 3f6ae394c225..8b0711e9c9fc 100644
--- a/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/commands/GitCommand.java
+++ b/plugins/git4idea/src/git4idea/commands/GitCommand.java
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public class GitCommand {
   public static final GitCommand CONFIG = read("config");
   public static final GitCommand CHERRY = read("cherry");
   public static final GitCommand CHERRY_PICK = write("cherry-pick");
-  public static final GitCommand CLONE = write("clone");
+  public static final GitCommand CLONE = read("clone"); // write, but can't interfere with any other command => should be treated as read
   public static final GitCommand DIFF = read("diff");
   public static final GitCommand FETCH = read("fetch");  // fetch is a read-command, because it doesn't modify the index
   public static final GitCommand INIT = write("init");