diff --git a/fetch-negotiator.c b/fetch-negotiator.c
index e61e40cb299..273390229fe 100644
--- a/fetch-negotiator.c
+++ b/fetch-negotiator.c
@@ -21,8 +21,5 @@ void fetch_negotiator_init(struct repository *r,
 	case FETCH_NEGOTIATION_DEFAULT:
 		default_negotiator_init(negotiator);
 		return;
-	case FETCH_NEGOTIATION_NONE:
-	case FETCH_NEGOTIATION_UNSET:
-		BUG("FETCH_NEGOTIATION_{NONE,UNSET} used outside of prepare_repo_settings()!");
 	}
 }
diff --git a/read-cache.c b/read-cache.c
index e4ae35ccdb2..b0a06db5c55 100644
--- a/read-cache.c
+++ b/read-cache.c
@@ -1952,9 +1952,13 @@ static void tweak_untracked_cache(struct index_state *istate)
 		add_untracked_cache(istate);
 		break;
 	case UNTRACKED_CACHE_KEEP:
+		/*
+		 * Either an explicit "core.untrackedCache=keep", the
+		 * default if "core.untrackedCache" isn't configured,
+		 * or a fallback on an unknown "core.untrackedCache"
+		 * value.
+		 */
 		break;
-	case UNTRACKED_CACHE_UNSET:
-		BUG("UNTRACKED_CACHE_UNSET used outside of prepare_repo_settings()!");
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/repo-settings.c b/repo-settings.c
index b0df8b93b86..46b9d56aeac 100644
--- a/repo-settings.c
+++ b/repo-settings.c
@@ -3,40 +3,76 @@
 #include "repository.h"
 #include "midx.h"
 
-#define UPDATE_DEFAULT_BOOL(s,v) do { if (s == -1) { s = v; } } while(0)
+static void repo_cfg_bool(struct repository *r, const char *key, int *dest,
+			  int def)
+{
+	if (repo_config_get_bool(r, key, dest))
+		*dest = def;
+}
 
 void prepare_repo_settings(struct repository *r)
 {
+	int experimental;
 	int value;
 	char *strval;
+	int manyfiles;
 
-	if (r->settings.initialized)
+	if (r->settings.initialized++)
 		return;
 
 	/* Defaults */
-	memset(&r->settings, -1, sizeof(r->settings));
+	r->settings.index_version = -1;
+	r->settings.core_untracked_cache = UNTRACKED_CACHE_KEEP;
+	r->settings.fetch_negotiation_algorithm = FETCH_NEGOTIATION_DEFAULT;
+
+	/* Booleans config or default, cascades to other settings */
+	repo_cfg_bool(r, "feature.manyfiles", &manyfiles, 0);
+	repo_cfg_bool(r, "feature.experimental", &experimental, 0);
 
-	if (!repo_config_get_bool(r, "core.commitgraph", &value))
-		r->settings.core_commit_graph = value;
-	if (!repo_config_get_bool(r, "commitgraph.readchangedpaths", &value))
-		r->settings.commit_graph_read_changed_paths = value;
-	if (!repo_config_get_bool(r, "gc.writecommitgraph", &value))
-		r->settings.gc_write_commit_graph = value;
-	UPDATE_DEFAULT_BOOL(r->settings.core_commit_graph, 1);
-	UPDATE_DEFAULT_BOOL(r->settings.commit_graph_read_changed_paths, 1);
-	UPDATE_DEFAULT_BOOL(r->settings.gc_write_commit_graph, 1);
+	/* Defaults modified by feature.* */
+	if (experimental) {
+		r->settings.fetch_negotiation_algorithm = FETCH_NEGOTIATION_SKIPPING;
+	}
+	if (manyfiles) {
+		r->settings.index_version = 4;
+		r->settings.core_untracked_cache = UNTRACKED_CACHE_WRITE;
+	}
+
+	/* Boolean config or default, does not cascade (simple)  */
+	repo_cfg_bool(r, "core.commitgraph", &r->settings.core_commit_graph, 1);
+	repo_cfg_bool(r, "commitgraph.readchangedpaths", &r->settings.commit_graph_read_changed_paths, 1);
+	repo_cfg_bool(r, "gc.writecommitgraph", &r->settings.gc_write_commit_graph, 1);
+	repo_cfg_bool(r, "fetch.writecommitgraph", &r->settings.fetch_write_commit_graph, 0);
+	repo_cfg_bool(r, "pack.usesparse", &r->settings.pack_use_sparse, 1);
+	repo_cfg_bool(r, "core.multipackindex", &r->settings.core_multi_pack_index, 1);
+
+	/*
+	 * The GIT_TEST_MULTI_PACK_INDEX variable is special in that
+	 * either it *or* the config sets
+	 * r->settings.core_multi_pack_index if true. We don't take
+	 * the environment variable if it exists (even if false) over
+	 * any config, as in most other cases.
+	 */
+	if (git_env_bool(GIT_TEST_MULTI_PACK_INDEX, 0))
+		r->settings.core_multi_pack_index = 1;
 
+	/*
+	 * Non-boolean config
+	 */
 	if (!repo_config_get_int(r, "index.version", &value))
 		r->settings.index_version = value;
-	if (!repo_config_get_maybe_bool(r, "core.untrackedcache", &value)) {
-		if (value == 0)
-			r->settings.core_untracked_cache = UNTRACKED_CACHE_REMOVE;
-		else
-			r->settings.core_untracked_cache = UNTRACKED_CACHE_WRITE;
-	} else if (!repo_config_get_string(r, "core.untrackedcache", &strval)) {
-		if (!strcasecmp(strval, "keep"))
-			r->settings.core_untracked_cache = UNTRACKED_CACHE_KEEP;
 
+	if (!repo_config_get_string(r, "core.untrackedcache", &strval)) {
+		int v = git_parse_maybe_bool(strval);
+
+		/*
+		 * If it's set to "keep", or some other non-boolean
+		 * value then "v < 0". Then we do nothing and keep it
+		 * at the default of UNTRACKED_CACHE_KEEP.
+		 */
+		if (v >= 0)
+			r->settings.core_untracked_cache = v ?
+				UNTRACKED_CACHE_WRITE : UNTRACKED_CACHE_REMOVE;
 		free(strval);
 	}
 
@@ -45,34 +81,8 @@ void prepare_repo_settings(struct repository *r)
 			r->settings.fetch_negotiation_algorithm = FETCH_NEGOTIATION_SKIPPING;
 		else if (!strcasecmp(strval, "noop"))
 			r->settings.fetch_negotiation_algorithm = FETCH_NEGOTIATION_NOOP;
-		else
-			r->settings.fetch_negotiation_algorithm = FETCH_NEGOTIATION_DEFAULT;
 	}
 
-	if (!repo_config_get_bool(r, "pack.usesparse", &value))
-		r->settings.pack_use_sparse = value;
-	UPDATE_DEFAULT_BOOL(r->settings.pack_use_sparse, 1);
-
-	value = git_env_bool(GIT_TEST_MULTI_PACK_INDEX, 0);
-	if (value || !repo_config_get_bool(r, "core.multipackindex", &value))
-		r->settings.core_multi_pack_index = value;
-	UPDATE_DEFAULT_BOOL(r->settings.core_multi_pack_index, 1);
-
-	if (!repo_config_get_bool(r, "feature.manyfiles", &value) && value) {
-		UPDATE_DEFAULT_BOOL(r->settings.index_version, 4);
-		UPDATE_DEFAULT_BOOL(r->settings.core_untracked_cache, UNTRACKED_CACHE_WRITE);
-	}
-
-	if (!repo_config_get_bool(r, "fetch.writecommitgraph", &value))
-		r->settings.fetch_write_commit_graph = value;
-	UPDATE_DEFAULT_BOOL(r->settings.fetch_write_commit_graph, 0);
-
-	if (!repo_config_get_bool(r, "feature.experimental", &value) && value)
-		UPDATE_DEFAULT_BOOL(r->settings.fetch_negotiation_algorithm, FETCH_NEGOTIATION_SKIPPING);
-
-	UPDATE_DEFAULT_BOOL(r->settings.core_untracked_cache, UNTRACKED_CACHE_KEEP);
-	UPDATE_DEFAULT_BOOL(r->settings.fetch_negotiation_algorithm, FETCH_NEGOTIATION_DEFAULT);
-
 	/*
 	 * This setting guards all index reads to require a full index
 	 * over a sparse index. After suitable guards are placed in the
diff --git a/repository.h b/repository.h
index 3740c93bc0f..bf36744e0a7 100644
--- a/repository.h
+++ b/repository.h
@@ -13,18 +13,15 @@ struct submodule_cache;
 struct promisor_remote_config;
 
 enum untracked_cache_setting {
-	UNTRACKED_CACHE_UNSET = -1,
-	UNTRACKED_CACHE_REMOVE = 0,
-	UNTRACKED_CACHE_KEEP = 1,
-	UNTRACKED_CACHE_WRITE = 2
+	UNTRACKED_CACHE_KEEP,
+	UNTRACKED_CACHE_REMOVE,
+	UNTRACKED_CACHE_WRITE,
 };
 
 enum fetch_negotiation_setting {
-	FETCH_NEGOTIATION_UNSET = -1,
-	FETCH_NEGOTIATION_NONE = 0,
-	FETCH_NEGOTIATION_DEFAULT = 1,
-	FETCH_NEGOTIATION_SKIPPING = 2,
-	FETCH_NEGOTIATION_NOOP = 3,
+	FETCH_NEGOTIATION_DEFAULT,
+	FETCH_NEGOTIATION_SKIPPING,
+	FETCH_NEGOTIATION_NOOP,
 };
 
 struct repo_settings {
