diff --git a/hgext/convert/hg.py b/hgext/convert/hg.py
--- a/hgext/convert/hg.py
+++ b/hgext/convert/hg.py
@@ -364,10 +364,8 @@
 
     def puttags(self, tags):
         try:
-            parentctx = self.repo[self.tagsbranch]
-            tagparent = parentctx.node()
+            tagparent = self.repo[self.tagsbranch].node()
         except error.RepoError:
-            parentctx = None
             tagparent = nodemod.nullid
 
         oldlines = set()