diff --git a/transport.c b/transport.c
index babaa21398..497f853721 100644
--- a/transport.c
+++ b/transport.c
@@ -441,11 +441,12 @@ static struct ref *get_refs_via_curl(struct transport *transport)
 	struct ref *ref = NULL;
 	struct ref *last_ref = NULL;
 
+	if (!transport->data)
+		transport->data = get_http_walker(transport->url);
+
 	refs_url = xmalloc(strlen(transport->url) + 11);
 	sprintf(refs_url, "%s/info/refs", transport->url);
 
-	http_init();
-
 	slot = get_active_slot();
 	slot->results = &results;
 	curl_easy_setopt(slot->curl, CURLOPT_FILE, &buffer);
@@ -473,8 +474,6 @@ static struct ref *get_refs_via_curl(struct transport *transport)
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	http_cleanup();
-
 	data = buffer.buf;
 	start = NULL;
 	mid = data;