diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 3ab8e57e4a..231470e2ee 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ endif
 
 # figure out if we are building from git
 
-git = run_command('test', '-d', '.git', check: false).returncode() == 0
+git = run_command('test', '-e', '.git', check: false).returncode() == 0
 
 if git and not get_option('no_git')
   run_command('git', 'submodule', 'update', '--init', check: true)