diff --git a/src/lib/Hydra/Controller/API.pm b/src/lib/Hydra/Controller/API.pm
index 6f10ef57..8ebed599 100644
--- a/src/lib/Hydra/Controller/API.pm
+++ b/src/lib/Hydra/Controller/API.pm
@@ -216,8 +216,8 @@ sub scmdiff : Path('/api/scmdiff') Args(0) {
     } elsif ($type eq "git") {
         my $clonePath = getSCMCacheDir . "/git/" . sha256_hex($uri);
         die if ! -d $clonePath;
-        $diff .= `(cd $clonePath; git log $rev1..$rev2)`;
-        $diff .= `(cd $clonePath; git diff $rev1..$rev2)`;
+        $diff .= `(cd $clonePath; git --git-dir .git log $rev1..$rev2)`;
+        $diff .= `(cd $clonePath; git --git-dir .git diff $rev1..$rev2)`;
     }
 
     $c->stash->{'plain'} = { data => (scalar $diff) || " " };