diff --git a/commands.go b/commands.go
index dd05ccfc..0ce7908c 100644
--- a/commands.go
+++ b/commands.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ var cloneFlags = []cli.Flag{
 	cli.BoolFlag{Name: "update, u", Usage: "Update local repository if cloned already"},
 	cli.BoolFlag{Name: "p", Usage: "Clone with SSH"},
 	cli.BoolFlag{Name: "shallow", Usage: "Do a shallow clone"},
+	cli.StringFlag{Name: "vcs", Usage: "Specify VCS backend for cloning"},
 }
 
 var commandGet = cli.Command{
@@ -91,7 +92,7 @@ type commandDoc struct {
 }
 
 var commandDocs = map[string]commandDoc{
-	"get":    {"", "[-u] <repository URL> | [-u] [-p] <user>/<project>"},
+	"get":    {"", "[-u] [--vcs <vcs>] <repository URL> | [-u] [-p] <user>/<project>"},
 	"list":   {"", "[-p] [-e] [<query>]"},
 	"look":   {"", "<project> | <user>/<project> | <host>/<user>/<project>"},
 	"import": {"", "< file"},
@@ -129,6 +130,7 @@ func doGet(c *cli.Context) error {
 	argURL := c.Args().Get(0)
 	doUpdate := c.Bool("update")
 	isShallow := c.Bool("shallow")
+	vcsBackend := c.String("vcs")
 
 	if argURL == "" {
 		cli.ShowCommandHelp(c, "get")
@@ -176,14 +178,14 @@ func doGet(c *cli.Context) error {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
-	getRemoteRepository(remote, doUpdate, isShallow)
+	getRemoteRepository(remote, doUpdate, isShallow, vcsBackend)
 	return nil
 }
 
 // getRemoteRepository clones or updates a remote repository remote.
 // If doUpdate is true, updates the locally cloned repository. Otherwise does nothing.
 // If isShallow is true, does shallow cloning. (no effect if already cloned or the VCS is Mercurial and git-svn)
-func getRemoteRepository(remote RemoteRepository, doUpdate bool, isShallow bool) {
+func getRemoteRepository(remote RemoteRepository, doUpdate bool, isShallow bool, vcsBackend string) {
 	remoteURL := remote.URL()
 	local := LocalRepositoryFromURL(remoteURL)
 
@@ -202,10 +204,14 @@ func getRemoteRepository(remote RemoteRepository, doUpdate bool, isShallow bool)
 	if newPath {
 		utils.Log("clone", fmt.Sprintf("%s -> %s", remoteURL, path))
 
-		vcs, repoURL := remote.VCS()
+		vcs := vcsRegistry[vcsBackend]
+		repoURL := remoteURL
 		if vcs == nil {
-			utils.Log("error", fmt.Sprintf("Could not find version control system: %s", remoteURL))
-			os.Exit(1)
+			vcs, repoURL = remote.VCS()
+			if vcs == nil {
+				utils.Log("error", fmt.Sprintf("Could not find version control system: %s", remoteURL))
+				os.Exit(1)
+			}
 		}
 
 		err := vcs.Clone(repoURL, path, isShallow)
@@ -364,9 +370,10 @@ func doLook(c *cli.Context) error {
 
 func doImport(c *cli.Context) error {
 	var (
-		doUpdate  = c.Bool("update")
-		isSSH     = c.Bool("p")
-		isShallow = c.Bool("shallow")
+		doUpdate   = c.Bool("update")
+		isSSH      = c.Bool("p")
+		isShallow  = c.Bool("shallow")
+		vcsBackend = c.String("vcs")
 	)
 
 	var (
@@ -432,7 +439,7 @@ func doImport(c *cli.Context) error {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		getRemoteRepository(remote, doUpdate, isShallow)
+		getRemoteRepository(remote, doUpdate, isShallow, vcsBackend)
 	}
 	if err := scanner.Err(); err != nil {
 		utils.Log("error", fmt.Sprintf("While reading input: %s", err))
diff --git a/remote_repository.go b/remote_repository.go
index dbf2415c..05e077e5 100644
--- a/remote_repository.go
+++ b/remote_repository.go
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ func (repo *OtherRepository) VCS() (*VCSBackend, *url.URL) {
 	vcs, repoURL, err := detectGoImport(repo.url)
 	if err == nil {
 		// vcs == "mod" (modproxy) not supported yet
-		return vcsBackendMap[vcs], repoURL
+		return vcsRegistry[vcs], repoURL
 	}
 
 	if utils.RunSilently("hg", "identify", repo.url.String()) == nil {
diff --git a/vcs.go b/vcs.go
index aa986635..aa8286fa 100644
--- a/vcs.go
+++ b/vcs.go
@@ -111,8 +111,13 @@ var DarcsBackend = &VCSBackend{
 	},
 }
 
-var vcsBackendMap = map[string]*VCSBackend{
-	"git": GitBackend,
-	"hg":  MercurialBackend,
-	"svn": SubversionBackend,
+var vcsRegistry = map[string]*VCSBackend{
+	"git":        GitBackend,
+	"github":     GitBackend,
+	"svn":        SubversionBackend,
+	"subversion": SubversionBackend,
+	"git-svn":    GitsvnBackend,
+	"hg":         MercurialBackend,
+	"mercurial":  MercurialBackend,
+	"darcs":      DarcsBackend,
 }