diff --git a/command/repo.go b/command/repo.go
index ad208a277..f459c2310 100644
--- a/command/repo.go
+++ b/command/repo.go
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ var repoCloneCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Short: "Clone a repository locally",
 	Long: `Clone a GitHub repository locally.
 
+If the "OWNER/" portion of the "OWNER/REPO" repository argument is omitted, it
+defaults to the name of the authenticating user.
+
 To pass 'git clone' flags, separate them with '--'.`,
 	RunE: repoClone,
 }
@@ -125,8 +128,21 @@ func runClone(cloneURL string, args []string) (target string, err error) {
 }
 
 func repoClone(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	ctx := contextForCommand(cmd)
+	apiClient, err := apiClientForContext(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	cloneURL := args[0]
 	if !strings.Contains(cloneURL, ":") {
+		if !strings.Contains(cloneURL, "/") {
+			currentUser, err := api.CurrentLoginName(apiClient)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			cloneURL = currentUser + "/" + cloneURL
+		}
 		cloneURL = formatRemoteURL(cmd, cloneURL)
 	}
 
@@ -140,12 +156,6 @@ func repoClone(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	if repo != nil {
-		ctx := contextForCommand(cmd)
-		apiClient, err := apiClientForContext(ctx)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
 		parentRepo, err = api.RepoParent(apiClient, repo)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/command/repo_test.go b/command/repo_test.go
index 760298231..ff882d12e 100644
--- a/command/repo_test.go
+++ b/command/repo_test.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/cli/cli/context"
 	"github.com/cli/cli/internal/run"
+	"github.com/cli/cli/pkg/httpmock"
 	"github.com/cli/cli/test"
 	"github.com/cli/cli/utils"
 )
@@ -508,6 +509,37 @@ func TestRepoClone_hasParent(t *testing.T) {
 	eq(t, strings.Join(cs.Calls[1].Args, " "), "git -C REPO remote add -f upstream https://github.com/hubot/ORIG.git")
 }
 
+func TestRepo_withoutUsername(t *testing.T) {
+	http := initFakeHTTP()
+	http.Register(
+		httpmock.GraphQL(`\bviewer\b`),
+		httpmock.StringResponse(`
+		{ "data": { "viewer": {
+			"login": "OWNER"
+		}}}`))
+	http.Register(
+		httpmock.GraphQL(`\brepository\(`),
+		httpmock.StringResponse(`
+		{ "data": { "repository": {
+			"parent": null
+		} } }`))
+
+	cs, restore := test.InitCmdStubber()
+	defer restore()
+
+	cs.Stub("") // git clone
+
+	output, err := RunCommand("repo clone REPO")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error running command `repo clone`: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	eq(t, output.String(), "")
+	eq(t, output.Stderr(), "")
+	eq(t, cs.Count, 1)
+	eq(t, strings.Join(cs.Calls[0].Args, " "), "git clone https://github.com/OWNER/REPO.git")
+}
+
 func TestRepoCreate(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.NewBlank()
 	ctx.SetBranch("master")