--- a/mercurial/debugcommands.py	Thu Mar 14 10:58:53 2019 +0000
+++ b/mercurial/debugcommands.py	Thu Mar 14 09:12:46 2019 +0000
@@ -1478,7 +1478,8 @@
     if opts.get(r'clear'):
         with repo.lock():
             cache = getcache()
-            cache.clear()
+            cache.clear(clear_persisted_data=True)
+            return
 
     if add:
         with repo.lock():