diff --git a/mercurial/hg.py b/mercurial/hg.py
--- a/mercurial/hg.py
+++ b/mercurial/hg.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def clone(ui, source, dest=None, pull=Fa
     source = localpath(source)
 
     if os.path.exists(dest):
-        raise util.Abort(_("destination '%s' already exists"), dest)
+        raise util.Abort(_("destination '%s' already exists") % dest)
 
     class DirCleanup(object):
         def __init__(self, dir_):
@@ -127,12 +127,7 @@ def clone(ui, source, dest=None, pull=Fa
             if self.dir_:
                 self.rmtree(self.dir_, True)
 
-    dest_repo = None
-    try:
-        dest_repo = repository(ui, dest)
-        raise util.Abort(_("destination '%s' already exists." % dest))
-    except RepoError:
-        dest_repo = repository(ui, dest, create=True)
+    dest_repo = repository(ui, dest, create=True)
 
     dest_path = None
     dir_cleanup = None