diff --git a/xbps-src b/xbps-src
index 4830eef582..706ded804c 100755
--- a/xbps-src
+++ b/xbps-src
@@ -245,7 +245,11 @@ check_build_requirements() {
     if [ -z "$XBPS_ALT_REPOSITORY" ]; then
         pushd "$PWD" &>/dev/null
         cd $XBPS_DISTDIR
-        _gitbranch="$(chroot-git symbolic-ref --short HEAD 2>/dev/null)"
+        if [ -n "$IN_CHROOT" ]; then
+            _gitbranch="$(chroot-git symbolic-ref --short HEAD 2>/dev/null)"
+        else
+            _gitbranch="$(git symbolic-ref --short HEAD 2>/dev/null)"
+        fi
         if [ -n "${_gitbranch}" -a "${_gitbranch}" != "master" ]; then
             export XBPS_ALT_REPOSITORY="${_gitbranch}"
             export XBPS_REPOSITORY="${XBPS_REPOSITORY}/${_gitbranch}"