@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ Config
 ------
 * The git configuration can now be read and manipulated directly from within python
   using the GitConfigParser
-* Repo.config_reader returns a read-only parser
-* Repo.config_writer returns a read-write parser 
+* Repo.config_reader() returns a read-only parser
+* Repo.config_writer() returns a read-write parser 
 
 Diff
 ----
@@ -115,8 +115,9 @@ Repo
   - 'head', creates a head object
   - 'tag', creates a tag object
   - 'iter_trees' method
-  - 'config_reader' property
-  - 'config_writer' property
+  - 'config_reader' method
+  - 'config_writer' method
+  - 'bare' property, previously it was a simple attribute that could be written
 
 Remote
 ------
 
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@ Index
 Repo
 ----
 * Nice fetch/pull handling, at least supported/wired throuhg to the git command
-* repo.bare is set according to the path it is initialized with, although it 
-  should be read from the configuration in fact. Check uses of repo.bare.
 * Blame: Read the blame format making assumptions about its structure, 
   currently regex are used a lot although we can deduct what will be next.
   - Read data from a stream directly from git command
 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def _config_section_name(self):
 
 	def _set_cache_(self, attr):
 		if attr == "_config_reader":
-			self._config_reader = _SectionConstraint(self.repo.config_reader, self._config_section_name())
+			self._config_reader = _SectionConstraint(self.repo.config_reader(), self._config_section_name())
 		else:
 			super(Remote, self)._set_cache_(attr)
 
 
@@ -79,22 +79,30 @@ def __init__(self, path=None):
 
 		self.path = None
 		curpath = epath
+		
+		# walk up the path to find the .git dir
 		while curpath:
 			if is_git_dir(curpath):
-				self.bare = True
 				self.path = curpath
 				self.wd = curpath
 				break
 			gitpath = os.path.join(curpath, '.git')
 			if is_git_dir(gitpath):
-				self.bare = False
 				self.path = gitpath
 				self.wd = curpath
 				break
 			curpath, dummy = os.path.split(curpath)
 			if not dummy:
 				break
-
+		# END while curpath
+
+		self._bare = False
+		try:
+			self._bare = self.config_reader("repository").getboolean('core','bare') 
+		except Exception:
+			# lets not assume the option exists, although it should
+			pass
+		
 		if self.path is None:
 		   raise InvalidGitRepositoryError(epath)
 
@@ -113,6 +121,15 @@ def _set_description(self, descr):
 						   doc="the project's description")
 	del _get_description
 	del _set_description
+	
+	
+	@property
+	def bare(self):
+		"""
+		Returns
+			True if the repository is bare
+		"""
+		return self._bare
 
 	@property
 	def heads(self):
@@ -194,8 +211,7 @@ def _get_config_path(self, config_level ):
 
 		raise ValueError( "Invalid configuration level: %r" % config_level )
 
-	@property
-	def config_reader(self):
+	def config_reader(self, config_level=None):
 		"""
 		Returns
 			GitConfigParser allowing to read the full git configuration, but not to write it
@@ -205,8 +221,18 @@ def config_reader(self):
 			
 			NOTE: On windows, system configuration cannot currently be read as the path is 
 			unknown, instead the global path will be used.
-		"""
-		files = [ self._get_config_path(f) for f in self.config_level ]
+			
+		``config_level``
+			For possible values, see config_writer method
+			If None, all applicable levels will be used. Specify a level in case 
+			you know which exact file you whish to read to prevent reading multiple files for 
+			instance
+		"""
+		files = None
+		if config_level is None:
+			files = [ self._get_config_path(f) for f in self.config_level ]
+		else:
+			files = [ self._get_config_path(config_level) ]
 		return GitConfigParser(files, read_only=True)
 
 	def config_writer(self, config_level="repository"):
@@ -393,7 +419,7 @@ def is_dirty(self, index=True, working_tree=True, untracked_files=False):
 			like a git-status without untracked files, hence it is dirty if the 
 			index or the working copy have changes.
 		"""
-		if self.bare:
+		if self._bare:
 			# Bare repositories with no associated working directory are
 			# always consired to be clean.
 			return False
 
@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ def test_init(self, git, repo):
 
 		assert_true(git.called)
 		assert_true(repo.called)
+		
+	def test_bare_property(self):
+		self.repo.bare
 
 	@patch_object(Repo, '__init__')
 	@patch_object(Git, '_call_process')
@@ -156,19 +159,19 @@ def test_repr(self):
 		assert_equal('<git.Repo "%s">' % path, repr(self.repo))
 
 	def test_is_dirty_with_bare_repository(self):
-		self.repo.bare = True
+		self.repo._bare = True
 		assert_false(self.repo.is_dirty)
 
 	def test_is_dirty(self):
-		self.repo.bare = False
+		self.repo._bare = False
 		for index in (0,1):
 			for working_tree in (0,1):
 				for untracked_files in (0,1):
 					assert self.repo.is_dirty in (True, False)
 				# END untracked files
 			# END working tree
 		# END index
-		self.repo.bare = True
+		self.repo._bare = True
 		assert self.repo.is_dirty == False
 
 	@patch_object(Git, '_call_process')
@@ -236,7 +239,9 @@ def test_untracked_files(self):
 		assert len(self.repo.untracked_files) == (num_recently_untracked - len(files))
 
 	def test_config_reader(self):
-		reader = self.repo.config_reader
+		reader = self.repo.config_reader()				# all config files 
+		assert reader.read_only
+		reader = self.repo.config_reader("repository")	# single config file
 		assert reader.read_only
 
 	def test_config_writer(self):
 
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import os
 from test.testlib import *
 from git import *
+from git.cmd import dashify
 
 class TestUtils(object):
 	def setup(self):