--- a/hgext/robustcheckout/__init__.py
+++ b/hgext/robustcheckout/__init__.py
@@ -138,16 +138,26 @@ def robustcheckout(ui, url, dest, upstre
     if not sharebase:
         raise error.Abort('share base directory not defined; refusing to operate',
                           hint='define share.pool config option or pass --sharebase')
 
     # worker.backgroundclose only makes things faster if running anti-virus,
     # which our automation doesn't. Disable it.
     ui.setconfig('worker', 'backgroundclose', False)
 
+    # By default the progress bar starts after 3s and updates every 0.1s. We
+    # change this so it shows and updates every 1.0s.
+    # We also tell progress to assume a TTY is present so updates are printed
+    # even if there is no known TTY.
+    # We make the config change here instead of in a config file because
+    # otherwise we're at the whim of whatever configs are used in automation.
+    ui.setconfig('progress', 'delay', 1.0)
+    ui.setconfig('progress', 'refresh', 1.0)
+    ui.setconfig('progress', 'assume-tty', True)
+
     sharebase = os.path.realpath(sharebase)
 
     return _docheckout(ui, url, dest, upstream, revision, branch, purge,
                        sharebase)
 
 def _docheckout(ui, url, dest, upstream, revision, branch, purge, sharebase):
     def callself():
         return _docheckout(ui, url, dest, upstream, revision, branch, purge,