diff --git a/github/resource_github_repository.go b/github/resource_github_repository.go
index 3b07d8ffba..88614b1d17 100644
--- a/github/resource_github_repository.go
+++ b/github/resource_github_repository.go
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ func resourceGithubRepository() *schema.Resource {
 		Update: resourceGithubRepositoryUpdate,
 		Delete: resourceGithubRepositoryDelete,
 		Importer: &schema.ResourceImporter{
-			State: schema.ImportStatePassthrough,
+			State: func(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) ([]*schema.ResourceData, error) {
+				d.Set("auto_init", false)
+				return []*schema.ResourceData{d}, nil
+			},
 		},
 
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
diff --git a/github/resource_github_repository_test.go b/github/resource_github_repository_test.go
index 1884a351fa..327a3787cd 100644
--- a/github/resource_github_repository_test.go
+++ b/github/resource_github_repository_test.go
@@ -625,6 +625,7 @@ resource "github_repository" "foo" {
   allow_squash_merge = false
   allow_rebase_merge = false
   has_downloads = true
+  auto_init = false
 }
 `, randString, randString)
 }