diff --git a/project.py b/project.py
index ab449f0..2b57a5f 100644
--- a/project.py
+++ b/project.py
@@ -2794,35 +2794,6 @@
         else:
           raise
 
-  def _InitialCheckoutStart(self):
-    """Called when checking out a project for the first time.
-
-    This will use temporary non-visible paths so we can be safely interrupted
-    without leaving incomplete state behind.
-    """
-    paths = [f'{x}.tmp' for x in (self.relpath, self.worktree, self.gitdir, self.objdir)]
-    for p in paths:
-      platform_utils.rmtree(p, ignore_errors=True)
-    self.UpdatePaths(*paths)
-
-  def _InitialCheckoutFinalizeNetworkHalf(self):
-    """Finalize the object dirs after network syncing works."""
-    # Once the network half finishes, we can move the objects into the right
-    # place by removing the ".tmp" suffix on the dirs.
-    platform_utils.rmtree(self.gitdir[:-4], ignore_errors=True)
-    os.rename(self.gitdir, self.gitdir[:-4])
-    self.UpdatePaths(self.relpath, self.worktree, self.gitdir[:-4], self.objdir[:-4])
-
-  def _InitialCheckoutFinalizeLocalHalf(self):
-    """Finalize the initial checkout and make it available."""
-    assert self.gitdir == self.objdir
-    # Once the local half finishes, we can move the manifest dir into the right
-    # place by removing the ".tmp" suffix on the dirs.
-    platform_utils.rmtree(self.worktree[:-4], ignore_errors=True)
-    os.rename(self.worktree, self.worktree[:-4])
-    self.UpdatePaths(
-        self.relpath[:-4], self.worktree[:-4], self.gitdir, self.objdir)
-
   def _InitGitWorktree(self):
     """Init the project using git worktrees."""
     self.bare_git.worktree('prune')
@@ -3709,8 +3680,6 @@
               (GitConfig.ForUser().UrlInsteadOf(manifest_url),),
               file=sys.stderr)
 
-      self._InitialCheckoutStart()
-
       # The manifest project object doesn't keep track of the path on the
       # server where this git is located, so let's save that here.
       mirrored_manifest_git = None
@@ -3870,14 +3839,16 @@
           partial_clone_exclude=self.manifest.PartialCloneExclude):
         r = self.GetRemote()
         print('fatal: cannot obtain manifest %s' % r.url, file=sys.stderr)
+
+        # Better delete the manifest git dir if we created it; otherwise next
+        # time (when user fixes problems) we won't go through the "is_new" logic.
+        if is_new:
+          platform_utils.rmtree(self.gitdir)
         return False
 
       if manifest_branch:
         self.MetaBranchSwitch(submodules=submodules)
 
-      if is_new:
-        self._InitialCheckoutFinalizeNetworkHalf()
-
       syncbuf = SyncBuffer(self.config)
       self.Sync_LocalHalf(syncbuf, submodules=submodules)
       syncbuf.Finish()
@@ -3900,9 +3871,6 @@
       with open(dest, 'wb') as f:
         f.write(manifest_data)
 
-    if is_new:
-      self._InitialCheckoutFinalizeLocalHalf()
-
     try:
       self.manifest.Link(manifest_name)
     except ManifestParseError as e: