diff --git a/lib/onboard.sh b/lib/onboard.sh
index 01a229a..69f8734 100644
--- a/lib/onboard.sh
+++ b/lib/onboard.sh
@@ -169,6 +169,17 @@ onboard_flow() {
     local import_prs
     import_prs=$(echo "$onboard_state" | jq -r '.import_prs // {}')
 
+    # Build the archived repo clone URL for initial_import().
+    # The content lives in the archived repo — the new repo at SUBREPO_URL is empty.
+    local archived_url archived_clone_url
+    archived_url=$(echo "$onboard_state" | jq -r '.archived_url')
+    if [ "${SUBREPO_AUTH:-https}" = "ssh" ]; then
+      archived_clone_url="$archived_url"
+    else
+      # shellcheck disable=SC2001
+      archived_clone_url=$(echo "$archived_url" | sed "s|https://|https://${BOT_USER}:${SUBREPO_TOKEN}@|")
+    fi
+
     for branch in $branches; do
       local mapped
       mapped=$(echo "$target_json" | jq -r --arg b "$branch" '.branches[$b] // empty')
@@ -185,7 +196,7 @@ onboard_flow() {
 
       log "INFO" "Importing branch: ${branch} (subrepo: ${mapped})"
       local result
-      result=$(initial_import)
+      result=$(initial_import "$archived_clone_url")
       log "INFO" "Import result for ${branch}: ${result}"
 
       if [ "$result" = "pr-created" ]; then
diff --git a/lib/sync.sh b/lib/sync.sh
index 91d2903..ab1b7e8 100644
--- a/lib/sync.sh
+++ b/lib/sync.sh
@@ -200,9 +200,13 @@ reverse_sync() {
 #
 # Used when a subrepo already has content and you're adding it to the
 # monorepo for the first time. Creates a PR.
+# Usage: initial_import [clone_url_override]
+#   clone_url_override — if set, clone from this URL instead of subrepo_auth_url()
+#                        (used by onboard to clone from the archived repo)
 # Returns: skip | pr-created
 
 initial_import() {
+  local clone_url="${1:-$(subrepo_auth_url)}"
   local mono_branch="$SYNC_BRANCH_MONO"
   local subrepo_branch="$SYNC_BRANCH_SUBREPO"
   local subfolder
@@ -225,8 +229,8 @@ initial_import() {
     --branch "$mono_branch" --single-branch \
     "${work_dir}/monorepo" || die "Failed to clone monorepo"
 
-  # 2. Clone subrepo
-  git clone "$(subrepo_auth_url)" \
+  # 2. Clone subrepo (or archived repo when clone_url is overridden)
+  git clone "$clone_url" \
     --branch "$subrepo_branch" --single-branch \
     "${work_dir}/subrepo" || die "Failed to clone subrepo"