diff --git a/project.py b/project.py
index e5dbf25..9d67dea 100644
--- a/project.py
+++ b/project.py
@@ -1370,6 +1370,13 @@
         ref_dir = None
 
     cmd = ['fetch']
+
+    # The --depth option only affects the initial fetch; after that we'll do
+    # full fetches of changes.
+    depth = self.manifest.manifestProject.config.GetString('repo.depth')
+    if depth and initial:
+      cmd.append('--depth=%s' % depth)
+
     if quiet:
       cmd.append('--quiet')
     if not self.worktree:
diff --git a/subcmds/init.py b/subcmds/init.py
index 3791084..c35cc82 100644
--- a/subcmds/init.py
+++ b/subcmds/init.py
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@
     g.add_option('--reference',
                  dest='reference',
                  help='location of mirror directory', metavar='DIR')
+    g.add_option('--depth', type='int', default=None,
+                 dest='depth',
+                 help='create a shallow clone with given depth; see git clone')
 
     # Tool
     g = p.add_option_group('repo Version options')
@@ -232,6 +235,25 @@
     if a in ('y', 'yes', 't', 'true', 'on'):
       gc.SetString('color.ui', 'auto')
 
+  def _ConfigureDepth(self, opt):
+    """Configure the depth we'll sync down.
+
+    Args:
+      opt: Options from optparse.  We care about opt.depth.
+    """
+    # Opt.depth will be non-None if user actually passed --depth to repo init.
+    if opt.depth is not None:
+      if opt.depth > 0:
+        # Positive values will set the depth.
+        depth = str(opt.depth)
+      else:
+        # Negative numbers will clear the depth; passing None to SetString
+        # will do that.
+        depth = None
+
+      # We store the depth in the main manifest project.
+      self.manifest.manifestProject.config.SetString('repo.depth', depth)
+
   def Execute(self, opt, args):
     git_require(MIN_GIT_VERSION, fail=True)
     self._SyncManifest(opt)
@@ -241,6 +263,8 @@
       self._ConfigureUser()
       self._ConfigureColor()
 
+    self._ConfigureDepth(opt)
+
     if self.manifest.IsMirror:
       type = 'mirror '
     else: