diff --git a/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/commitcloud/commands.py b/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/commitcloud/commands.py
index 543c036c0b..cfa47d7d84 100644
--- a/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/commitcloud/commands.py
+++ b/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/commitcloud/commands.py
@@ -1459,7 +1459,7 @@ def cloudcheck(ui, repo, dest=None, **opts):
     if not revs:
         revs = ["."]
 
-    remotepath = ccutil.getremotepath(repo, dest)
+    remotepath = ccutil.getremotereadpath(repo, dest)
     unfi = repo
     revs = scmutil.revrange(repo, revs)
     nodestocheck = [repo[r].hex() for r in revs]
diff --git a/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/commitcloud/sync.py b/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/commitcloud/sync.py
index 803216b4d8..603c83dbdb 100644
--- a/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/commitcloud/sync.py
+++ b/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/commitcloud/sync.py
@@ -124,11 +124,6 @@ def _sync(
     ui = repo.ui
     start = util.timer()
 
-    remotepath = ccutil.getremotepath(repo, dest)
-    getconnection = lambda: repo.connectionpool.get(
-        remotepath, connect_opts, reason="cloudsync"
-    )
-
     startnode = repo["."].node()
 
     if full:
@@ -187,6 +182,16 @@ def _sync(
     origheads = _getheads(repo)
     origbookmarks = _getbookmarks(repo)
 
+    readonly = not origheads and not origbookmarks
+    remotepath = (
+        ccutil.getremotereadpath(repo, dest)
+        if readonly
+        else ccutil.getremotepath(repo, dest)
+    )
+    getconnection = lambda: repo.connectionpool.get(
+        remotepath, connect_opts, reason="cloudsync"
+    )
+
     # Back up all local commits that are not already backed up.
     # Load the backup state under the repo lock to ensure a consistent view.
     with repo.lock():
diff --git a/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/commitcloud/util.py b/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/commitcloud/util.py
index 1f6f5a6560..94da7e694b 100644
--- a/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/commitcloud/util.py
+++ b/eden/scm/edenscm/hgext/commitcloud/util.py
@@ -65,17 +65,44 @@ def getreponame(repo):
     return reponame
 
 
-def getremotepath(repo, dest):
-    # If dest is empty, pass in None to get the default path.
+def getremotewritepath(repo, dest):
+    """Select an appopriate remote repository to connect to for read/write commit cloud operations.
+
+    If dest is empty, pass in None to get the default path.
+    Priorities: 'infinitepushwrite', 'infinitepush', 'default'
+    """
     pathname = dependencies.infinitepush.constants.pathname
     path = repo.ui.paths.getpath(
         dest or None,
         default=(pathname.infinitepushwrite, pathname.infinitepush, pathname.default),
     )
-
     if not path:
         raise error.Abort(
-            _("default repository not configured!"),
+            _(
+                "none of 'infinitepushwrite', 'infinitepush', 'default' repositories configured!"
+            ),
+            hint=_("see 'hg help config.paths'"),
+        )
+    return path.pushloc or path.loc
+
+
+# alias
+getremotepath = getremotewritepath
+
+
+def getremotereadpath(repo, dest):
+    """Select an appopriate remote repository to connect to for readonly commit cloud operations.
+
+    If dest is empty, pass in None to get the default path.
+    Priorities: 'infinitepush', 'default'
+    """
+    pathname = dependencies.infinitepush.constants.pathname
+    path = repo.ui.paths.getpath(
+        dest or None, default=(pathname.infinitepush, pathname.default)
+    )
+    if not path:
+        raise error.Abort(
+            _("none of 'infinitepush', 'default' repositories configured!"),
             hint=_("see 'hg help config.paths'"),
         )
     return path.pushloc or path.loc
diff --git a/eden/scm/tests/test-fb-hgext-smartlog-smallcommitmetadata.t b/eden/scm/tests/test-fb-hgext-smartlog-smallcommitmetadata.t
index 0562527d0c..1e9a40c567 100644
--- a/eden/scm/tests/test-fb-hgext-smartlog-smallcommitmetadata.t
+++ b/eden/scm/tests/test-fb-hgext-smartlog-smallcommitmetadata.t
@@ -43,6 +43,6 @@ Verify smartlog shows only the configured data
      stable
   
   note: background backup is currently disabled so your commits are not being backed up.
-  abort: default repository not configured!
+  abort: none of 'infinitepushwrite', 'infinitepush', 'default' repositories configured!
   (see 'hg help config.paths')
   [255]