diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/fetch_strategy.py b/lib/spack/spack/fetch_strategy.py
index 91936573111..ab144c839a5 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/fetch_strategy.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/fetch_strategy.py
@@ -863,7 +863,7 @@ def clone(self, dest=None, commit=None, branch=None, tag=None, bare=False):
 
             with working_dir(dest):
                 # By defaults, on all references are fetched by the clone
-                fetch_args = ["fetch", "origin", "--depth 1", commit]
+                fetch_args = ["fetch", "origin", commit]
                 git(*fetch_args)
                 checkout_args = ["checkout", commit]
                 if not debug: