diff -r 73ac95671788 -r 4a2a4d988ead mercurial/ui.py
--- a/mercurial/ui.py	Fri Jun 23 18:09:44 2006 -0700
+++ b/mercurial/ui.py	Fri Jun 23 18:23:32 2006 -0700
@@ -202,7 +202,10 @@
         if loc.find("://") != -1 or os.path.exists(loc):
             return loc
 
-        return self.config("paths", loc, default or loc)
+        path = self.config("paths", loc)
+        if not path and default is not None:
+            path = self.config("paths", default)
+        return path
 
     def write(self, *args):
         if self.header: