diff --git a/pre_commit/git.py b/pre_commit/git.py
index 7e757f247..576bef8cc 100644
--- a/pre_commit/git.py
+++ b/pre_commit/git.py
@@ -158,7 +158,8 @@ def init_repo(path: str, remote: str) -> None:
         remote = os.path.abspath(remote)
 
     env = no_git_env()
-    cmd_output_b('git', 'init', path, env=env)
+    # avoid the user's template so that hooks do not recurse
+    cmd_output_b('git', 'init', '--template=', path, env=env)
     cmd_output_b('git', 'remote', 'add', 'origin', remote, cwd=path, env=env)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/git_test.py b/tests/git_test.py
index e73a6f240..fafd4a6e3 100644
--- a/tests/git_test.py
+++ b/tests/git_test.py
@@ -186,3 +186,8 @@ def test_no_git_env():
         'GIT_SSH': '/usr/bin/ssh',
         'GIT_SSH_COMMAND': 'ssh -o',
     }
+
+
+def test_init_repo_no_hooks(tmpdir):
+    git.init_repo(str(tmpdir), remote='dne')
+    assert not tmpdir.join('.git/hooks').exists()