diff --git a/osc/build.py b/osc/build.py
index cbe08dc8..62c30bea 100644
--- a/osc/build.py
+++ b/osc/build.py
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ def main(apiurl, opts, argv):
         # OBS 1.5 and before has no downloadurl defined in buildinfo
         if bi.downloadurl:
             urllist.append(bi.downloadurl + '/%(extproject)s/%(extrepository)s/%(arch)s/%(filename)s')
-    if not opts.cpio_bulk_download:
+    if opts.disable_cpio_bulk_download:
         urllist.append( '%(apiurl)s/build/%(project)s/%(repository)s/%(repoarch)s/%(repopackage)s/%(repofilename)s' )
 
     fetcher = Fetcher(cachedir = config['packagecachedir'],
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ def main(apiurl, opts, argv):
                       api_host_options = config['api_host_options'],
                       offline = opts.noinit or opts.offline,
                       http_debug = config['http_debug'],
-                      enable_cpio = opts.cpio_bulk_download,
+                      enable_cpio = not opts.disable_cpio_bulk_download,
                       cookiejar=cookiejar)
 
     # implicitly trust the project we are building for
diff --git a/osc/commandline.py b/osc/commandline.py
index a208dd6b..63da0761 100644
--- a/osc/commandline.py
+++ b/osc/commandline.py
@@ -4111,7 +4111,7 @@ Please submit there instead, or use --nodevelproject to force direct submission.
                   help='Create -32bit/-64bit/-x86 rpms for other architectures')
     @cmdln.option('--release', metavar='N',
                   help='set release number of the package to N')
-    @cmdln.option('--cpio-bulk-download', action='store_true',
+    @cmdln.option('--disable-cpio-bulk-download', action='store_true',
                   help='enable downloading packages as cpio archive from api')
     @cmdln.option('--download-api-only', action='store_true',
                   help=SUPPRESS_HELP)
diff --git a/osc/fetch.py b/osc/fetch.py
index 347e9070..2e398334 100644
--- a/osc/fetch.py
+++ b/osc/fetch.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class OscFileGrabber:
 
 class Fetcher:
     def __init__(self, cachedir = '/tmp', api_host_options = {}, urllist = [], http_debug = False,
-                 cookiejar = None, offline = False, enable_cpio = False):
+                 cookiejar = None, offline = False, enable_cpio = True):
         # set up progress bar callback
         if sys.stdout.isatty() and TextMeter:
             self.progress_obj = TextMeter(fo=sys.stdout)