diff --git a/renku/command/clone.py b/renku/command/clone.py
index f4f26c6ba5..6a4a0cf1da 100644
--- a/renku/command/clone.py
+++ b/renku/command/clone.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def _project_clone(
     install_githooks: bool = True,
     install_mergetool: bool = True,
     skip_smudge: bool = True,
-    recursive: bool = True,
+    recursive: bool = False,
     depth: Optional[int] = None,
     progress: Optional[RemoteProgress] = None,
     config: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def _project_clone(
         install_githooks(bool): Whether to install the pre-commit hook or not (Default value = True).
         install_mergetool(bool): Whether to install the renku metadata git mergetool or not (Default value = True).
         skip_smudge(bool): Whether to skip pulling files from LFS (Default value = True).
-        recursive(bool): Recursively clone (Default value = True).
+        recursive(bool): Recursively clone (Default value = False).
         depth(Optional[int]): Clone depth (commits from HEAD) (Default value = None).
         progress(Optional[RemoteProgress]): Git progress object (Default value = None).
         config(Optional[Dict[str, Any]]): Initial config (Default value = None).
diff --git a/renku/core/util/git.py b/renku/core/util/git.py
index cd167454c8..33d43dba9a 100644
--- a/renku/core/util/git.py
+++ b/renku/core/util/git.py
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ def clone_renku_repository(
     install_githooks=False,
     install_lfs=True,
     skip_smudge=True,
-    recursive=True,
+    recursive=False,
     progress=None,
     config: Optional[dict] = None,
     raise_git_except=False,
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ def clone_renku_repository(
         install_githooks: Whether to install git hooks (Default value = False).
         install_lfs: Whether to install Git LFS (Default value = True).
         skip_smudge: Whether to pull files from Git LFS (Default value = True).
-        recursive: Whether to clone recursively (Default value = True).
+        recursive: Whether to clone recursively (Default value = False).
         progress: The GitProgress object (Default value = None).
         config(Optional[dict], optional): Set configuration for the project (Default value = None).
         raise_git_except: Whether to raise git exceptions (Default value = False).
@@ -710,7 +710,7 @@ def clone_repository(
     install_githooks=True,
     install_lfs=True,
     skip_smudge=True,
-    recursive=True,
+    recursive=False,
     depth=None,
     progress=None,
     config: Optional[dict] = None,
@@ -728,7 +728,7 @@ def clone_repository(
         install_githooks: Whether to install git hooks (Default value = True).
         install_lfs: Whether to install Git LFS (Default value = True).
         skip_smudge: Whether to pull files from Git LFS (Default value = True).
-        recursive: Whether to clone recursively (Default value = True).
+        recursive: Whether to clone recursively (Default value = False).
         depth: The clone depth, number of commits from HEAD (Default value = None).
         progress: The GitProgress object (Default value = None).
         config(Optional[dict], optional): Set configuration for the project (Default value = None).
@@ -760,7 +760,7 @@ def handle_git_exception():
 
         raise errors.GitError(message)
 
-    def clean_directory():
+    def clean_directory(clean: bool):
         if not clean or not path:
             return
         try:
@@ -791,10 +791,10 @@ def check_and_reuse_existing_repository() -> Optional["Repository"]:
                     pass
             else:
                 # NOTE: not same remote, so don't reuse
-                clean_directory()
+                clean_directory(clean=clean)
                 return None
         except errors.GitError:  # NOTE: Not a git repository, remote not found, or checkout failed
-            clean_directory()
+            clean_directory(clean=clean)
         else:
             return repository
 
@@ -828,6 +828,9 @@ def clone(branch, depth):
             handle_git_exception()
             raise
 
+        # NOTE: Delete the partially-cloned repository
+        clean_directory(clean=True)
+
         # NOTE: clone without branch set, in case checkout_revision was not a branch or a tag but a commit
         try:
             repository = clone(branch=None, depth=None)