diff --git a/ecbundle/download.py b/ecbundle/download.py
index b800422..cec42d2 100644
--- a/ecbundle/download.py
+++ b/ecbundle/download.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 # does it submit to any jurisdiction.
 
 import re
+from hashlib import md5
 from os import getcwd, makedirs, path
 from subprocess import check_call
 
@@ -139,8 +140,7 @@ def download(self):
         skipped_optional_packages = list()
 
         class GitPackage:
-            def __init__(self, project):
-                self.remote = project.remote()
+            def __init__(self, project, src_dir=None):
                 self.url = None
                 self.name = project.name()
                 self.version = str(project.version())
@@ -165,7 +165,25 @@ def __init__(self, project):
 
                 elif self.url.startswith("~"):
                     self.url = path.expanduser(self.url)
-                self.remote_str = self.remote
+                self._set_remote(project, src_dir=src_dir)
+
+            def _set_remote(self, project, src_dir=None):
+                from .git import Git
+
+                remote = project.remote(default=None)
+                if remote is None:
+                    if src_dir is None or not path.exists(src_dir):
+                        remote = "origin"
+                    else:
+                        # look for an existing remote with requested url
+                        for remote_name, remote_url in Git.remotes(src_dir).items():
+                            if remote_url == self.url:
+                                remote = remote_name
+                                break
+                        if remote is None:
+                            # not found: use a bijective alias to url
+                            remote = md5(self.url.encode("utf-8")).hexdigest()
+                self.remote_str = remote
                 self.remote = self.remote_str.replace("~", "")
 
         def download_one_project(pkg):
@@ -350,7 +368,8 @@ def download_data(data_packages, download_dir):
             if project.dir():
                 symlink_projects.append(project)
             else:
-                git_projects.append(GitPackage(project))
+                src_dir = path.join(download_dir, project.name())
+                git_projects.append(GitPackage(project, src_dir=src_dir))
 
         for package in bundle.data():
             data.append(Data(**package.config))
diff --git a/ecbundle/git.py b/ecbundle/git.py
index 8f2afeb..2ac3ac5 100644
--- a/ecbundle/git.py
+++ b/ecbundle/git.py
@@ -254,6 +254,20 @@ def branch(cls, src_dir, dryrun):
         except CalledProcessError:
             return None
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def remotes(src_dir):
+        command = ["git", "remote", "-v"]
+        try:
+            remotes = (
+                execute(command, cwd=src_dir, silent=True, capture_output=True)
+                .strip()
+                .split("\n")
+            )
+            remotes = [line.split() for line in remotes]
+            return {line[0]: line[1] for line in remotes if line[2] == "(fetch)"}
+        except CalledProcessError:
+            raise RuntimeError()
+
     @classmethod
     def is_remote(cls, src_dir, remote, dryrun):
         command = ["git", "ls-remote", remote]
diff --git a/ecbundle/project.py b/ecbundle/project.py
index 20c630f..dfe8fe5 100644
--- a/ecbundle/project.py
+++ b/ecbundle/project.py
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ def version(self):
     def git(self):
         return self.get("git")
 
-    def remote(self):
-        return self.get("remote", "origin")
+    def remote(self, default="origin"):
+        return self.get("remote", default)
 
     def submodules(self):
         return self.get("submodules", False)