diff --git a/kallithea/lib/vcs/backends/git/ssh.py b/kallithea/lib/vcs/backends/git/ssh.py
--- a/kallithea/lib/vcs/backends/git/ssh.py
+++ b/kallithea/lib/vcs/backends/git/ssh.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class GitSshHandler(BaseSshHandler):
         return None
 
     def __init__(self, repo_name, verb):
-        self.repo_name = repo_name
+        BaseSshHandler.__init__(self, repo_name)
         self.verb = verb
 
     def _serve(self):
diff --git a/kallithea/lib/vcs/backends/hg/ssh.py b/kallithea/lib/vcs/backends/hg/ssh.py
--- a/kallithea/lib/vcs/backends/hg/ssh.py
+++ b/kallithea/lib/vcs/backends/hg/ssh.py
@@ -57,9 +57,6 @@ class MercurialSshHandler(BaseSshHandler
 
         return None
 
-    def __init__(self, repo_name):
-        self.repo_name = repo_name
-
     def _serve(self):
         # Note: we want a repo with config based on .hg/hgrc and can thus not use self.db_repo.scm_instance._repo.ui
         baseui = make_ui(repo_path=self.db_repo.repo_full_path)
diff --git a/kallithea/lib/vcs/backends/ssh.py b/kallithea/lib/vcs/backends/ssh.py
--- a/kallithea/lib/vcs/backends/ssh.py
+++ b/kallithea/lib/vcs/backends/ssh.py
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ class BaseSshHandler(object):
         """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
+    def __init__(self, repo_name):
+        self.repo_name = repo_name
+
     def serve(self, user_id, key_id, client_ip):
         """Verify basic sanity of the repository, and that the user is
         valid and has access - then serve the native VCS protocol for