diff --git a/git/repo/base.py b/git/repo/base.py
index e59cb0c7d..c8915bbc4 100644
--- a/git/repo/base.py
+++ b/git/repo/base.py
@@ -737,7 +737,7 @@ def blame(self, rev, file):
         return blames
 
     @classmethod
-    def init(cls, path=None, mkdir=True, **kwargs):
+    def init(cls, path=None, mkdir=True, odbt=DefaultDBType, **kwargs):
         """Initialize a git repository at the given path if specified
 
         :param path:
@@ -750,6 +750,11 @@ def init(cls, path=None, mkdir=True, **kwargs):
             already exists. Creates the directory with a mode=0755.
             Only effective if a path is explicitly given
 
+        :param odbt:
+            Object DataBase type - a type which is constructed by providing
+            the directory containing the database objects, i.e. .git/objects.
+            It will be used to access all object data
+
         :parm kwargs:
             keyword arguments serving as additional options to the git-init command
 
@@ -762,7 +767,7 @@ def init(cls, path=None, mkdir=True, **kwargs):
         # git command automatically chdir into the directory
         git = Git(path)
         git.init(**kwargs)
-        return cls(path)
+        return cls(path, odbt=odbt)
 
     @classmethod
     def _clone(cls, git, url, path, odb_default_type, progress, **kwargs):