diff --git a/scripts/get_maintainer.pl b/scripts/get_maintainer.pl
index 71415e3c70..27991eb1cf 100755
--- a/scripts/get_maintainer.pl
+++ b/scripts/get_maintainer.pl
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ my %VCS_cmds;
 
 my %VCS_cmds_git = (
     "execute_cmd" => \&git_execute_cmd,
-    "available" => '(which("git") ne "") && (-d ".git")',
+    "available" => '(which("git") ne "") && (-e ".git")',
     "find_signers_cmd" =>
 	"git log --no-color --follow --since=\$email_git_since " .
 	    '--format="GitCommit: %H%n' .