diff --git a/mercurial/statichttprepo.py b/mercurial/statichttprepo.py
--- a/mercurial/statichttprepo.py
+++ b/mercurial/statichttprepo.py
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@
 # This software may be used and distributed according to the terms
 # of the GNU General Public License, incorporated herein by reference.
 
-from demandload import demandload
+from demandload import *
+from i18n import gettext as _
 demandload(globals(), "changelog filelog httprangereader")
-demandload(globals(), "localrepo manifest os urllib urllib2")
+demandload(globals(), "localrepo manifest os urllib urllib2 util")
 
 class rangereader(httprangereader.httprangereader):
     def read(self, size=None):
@@ -50,3 +51,14 @@ class statichttprepository(localrepo.loc
 
     def local(self):
         return False
+
+def instance(ui, path, create):
+    if create:
+        raise util.Abort(_('cannot create new static-http repository'))
+    if path.startswith('old-http:'):
+        ui.warn(_("old-http:// syntax is deprecated, "
+                  "please use static-http:// instead\n"))
+        path = path[4:]
+    else:
+        path = path[7:]
+    return statichttprepository(ui, path)