diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/ReceivePack.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/ReceivePack.java
index 81c44ae32..126d74fc3 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/ReceivePack.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/transport/ReceivePack.java
@@ -115,8 +115,9 @@ public class ReceivePack {
 			if (nul >= 0) {
 				for (String c : line.substring(nul + 1).split(" "))
 					caps.add(c);
-			}
-			this.line = line.substring(0, nul);
+				this.line = line.substring(0, nul);
+			} else
+				this.line = line;
 			this.capabilities = Collections.unmodifiableSet(caps);
 		}