diff --git a/appview/reporesolver/resolver.go b/appview/reporesolver/resolver.go
--- a/appview/reporesolver/resolver.go
+++ b/appview/reporesolver/resolver.go
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 	"tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/appview/pages"
 	"tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/appview/pages/repoinfo"
 	"tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/idresolver"
-	"tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/knotclient"
 	"tangled.sh/tangled.sh/core/rbac"
 )
 
@@ -180,17 +179,6 @@
 	}
 
 	knot := f.Knot
-	var disableFork bool
-	us, err := knotclient.NewUnsignedClient(knot, f.rr.config.Core.Dev)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("failed to create unsigned client for %s: %v", knot, err)
-	} else {
-		if result, err := us.Branches(f.OwnerDid(), f.Name); err != nil {
-			log.Printf("failed to get branches for %s/%s: %v", f.OwnerDid(), f.Name, err)
-		} else if len(result.Branches) == 0 {
-			disableFork = true
-		}
-	}
 
 	repoInfo := repoinfo.RepoInfo{
 		OwnerDid:    f.OwnerDid(),
@@ -207,9 +195,8 @@
 			IssueCount: issueCount,
 			PullCount:  pullCount,
 		},
-		DisableFork: disableFork,
-		CurrentDir:  f.CurrentDir,
-		Ref:         f.Ref,
+		CurrentDir: f.CurrentDir,
+		Ref:        f.Ref,
 	}
 
 	if sourceRepo != nil {
diff --git a/knotserver/git/fork.go b/knotserver/git/fork.go
--- a/knotserver/git/fork.go
+++ b/knotserver/git/fork.go
@@ -10,17 +10,13 @@
 )
 
 func Fork(repoPath, source string) error {
-	_, err := git.PlainClone(repoPath, true, &git.CloneOptions{
-		URL:          source,
-		SingleBranch: false,
-	})
-
-	if err != nil {
+	cloneCmd := exec.Command("git", "clone", "--bare", source, repoPath)
+	if err := cloneCmd.Run(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to bare clone repository: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	err = exec.Command("git", "-C", repoPath, "config", "receive.hideRefs", "refs/hidden").Run()
-	if err != nil {
+	configureCmd := exec.Command("git", "-C", repoPath, "config", "receive.hideRefs", "refs/hidden")
+	if err := configureCmd.Run(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to configure hidden refs: %w", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/appview/pages/templates/layouts/repobase.html b/appview/pages/templates/layouts/repobase.html
--- a/appview/pages/templates/layouts/repobase.html
+++ b/appview/pages/templates/layouts/repobase.html
@@ -21,16 +21,6 @@
 
         <div class="flex items-center gap-2 z-auto">
           {{ template "repo/fragments/repoStar" .RepoInfo }}
-          {{ if .RepoInfo.DisableFork }}
-            <button
-              class="btn text-sm no-underline hover:no-underline flex items-center gap-2 disabled:opacity-50 disabled:cursor-not-allowed"
-              disabled
-              title="Empty repositories cannot be forked"
-            >
-              {{ i "git-fork" "w-4 h-4" }}
-              fork
-            </button>
-          {{ else }}
             <a
               class="btn text-sm no-underline hover:no-underline flex items-center gap-2 group"
               hx-boost="true"
@@ -40,7 +30,6 @@
               fork
               {{ i "loader-circle" "w-4 h-4 animate-spin hidden group-[.htmx-request]:inline" }}
             </a>
-          {{ end }}
         </div>
       </div>
       {{ template "repo/fragments/repoDescription" . }}