diff --git a/automated install/basic-install.sh b/automated install/basic-install.sh
index b03b98d0..82ea64fd 100755
--- a/automated install/basic-install.sh	
+++ b/automated install/basic-install.sh	
@@ -135,8 +135,8 @@ fi
 is_repo() {
   # Use git to check if directory is currently under VCS, return the value
   local directory="${1}"
-  git -C "${directory}" status --short &> /dev/null
-  return
+  curdir=$PWD; cd $directory; git status --short &> /dev/null; rc=$?; cd $curdir
+  return $rc
 }
 
 make_repo() {