diff --git a/guix-data-service/model/git-repository.scm b/guix-data-service/model/git-repository.scm
index 8efedcd..f6cceb1 100644
--- a/guix-data-service/model/git-repository.scm
+++ b/guix-data-service/model/git-repository.scm
@@ -225,7 +225,11 @@ FROM git_repositories WHERE id = $1"
     (((id))
      (string->number id))))
 
-(define (git-repository-url->git-repository-id conn url)
+(define* (git-repository-url->git-repository-id conn url
+                                                #:key (authenticate? #t))
+  (define (->boolean value)
+    (if value "TRUE" "FALSE"))
+
   (let ((existing-id
          (exec-query
           conn
@@ -233,15 +237,21 @@ FROM git_repositories WHERE id = $1"
            "SELECT id FROM git_repositories WHERE url = '" url "'"))))
     (string->number
      (match existing-id
-       (((id)) id)
+       (((id))
+        (exec-query conn
+                    (string-append "UPDATE git_repositories \
+SET fetch_with_authentication = "
+                                   (->boolean authenticate?)
+                                   " WHERE id = " id ";"))
+        id)
        (()
         (caar
          (exec-query conn
                      (string-append
                       "INSERT INTO git_repositories "
-                      "(url) "
+                      "(url, fetch_with_authentication) "
                       "VALUES "
-                      "('" url "') "
+                      "('" url "', " (->boolean authenticate?) ") "
                       "RETURNING id"))))))))
 
 (define (guix-revisions-and-jobs-for-git-repository conn git-repository-id)