diff --git a/swh/lister/core/indexing_lister.py b/swh/lister/core/indexing_lister.py
--- a/swh/lister/core/indexing_lister.py
+++ b/swh/lister/core/indexing_lister.py
@@ -245,5 +245,5 @@
     """Convenience class for ensuring right lookup and init order
         when combining IndexingLister and ListerHttpTransport."""
     def __init__(self, api_baseurl=None, override_config=None):
-        ListerHttpTransport.__init__(self, api_baseurl=api_baseurl)
         IndexingLister.__init__(self, override_config=override_config)
+        ListerHttpTransport.__init__(self, api_baseurl=api_baseurl)
diff --git a/swh/lister/core/lister_transports.py b/swh/lister/core/lister_transports.py
--- a/swh/lister/core/lister_transports.py
+++ b/swh/lister/core/lister_transports.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 
     To be used in conjunction with ListerBase or a subclass of it.
     """
-
+    DEFAULT_URL = None
     PATH_TEMPLATE = AbstractAttribute('string containing a python string'
                                       ' format pattern that produces the API'
                                       ' endpoint path for listing stored'
@@ -144,6 +144,10 @@
 
     def __init__(self, api_baseurl=None):
         if not api_baseurl:
+            api_baseurl = self.config.get('api_baseurl')
+        if not api_baseurl:
+            api_baseurl = self.DEFAULT_URL
+        if not api_baseurl:
             raise NameError('HTTP Lister Transport requires api_baseurl.')
         self.api_baseurl = api_baseurl  # eg. 'https://api.github.com'
         self.session = requests.Session()
diff --git a/swh/lister/core/page_by_page_lister.py b/swh/lister/core/page_by_page_lister.py
--- a/swh/lister/core/page_by_page_lister.py
+++ b/swh/lister/core/page_by_page_lister.py
@@ -156,5 +156,5 @@
 
     """
     def __init__(self, api_baseurl=None, override_config=None):
-        ListerHttpTransport.__init__(self, api_baseurl=api_baseurl)
         PageByPageLister.__init__(self, override_config=override_config)
+        ListerHttpTransport.__init__(self, api_baseurl=api_baseurl)