diff --git a/src/core/archive.ml b/src/core/archive.ml
index cc5e796..0cf6dc3 100644
--- a/src/core/archive.ml
+++ b/src/core/archive.ml
@@ -17,10 +17,10 @@ module Configuration = struct
     try
       Ok {
           repository =
-            (try Lpath.repo_of_string (str "repository" |> mandatory)
+            (try Lpath.repo_of_string (str "repository" |> with_default ".")
              with
              | Invalid_argument s -> failwith ("Invalid repository: " ^ s)
-             | Failure s -> failwith s);
+             | Failure s -> failwith ("Missing repository value: " ^ s));
           title = str "title" |> with_default "";
           owner = str "owner" |> with_default "";
           email = str "email" |> with_default "";