diff --git a/common/environment/setup/git.sh b/common/environment/setup/git.sh
index 13e5178ccff..4b352fe5387 100644
--- a/common/environment/setup/git.sh
+++ b/common/environment/setup/git.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 # only run this, if SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH isn't set.
 
 if [ -z "$XBPS_GIT_CMD" ]; then
-	msg_error "BUG: environment/setup: XBPS_GIT_CMD is not set\n"
+	if [ -z "$XBPS_USE_BUILD_MTIME" ] || [ -n "$XBPS_USE_GIT_REVS" ]; then
+		msg_error "BUG: environment/setup: XBPS_GIT_CMD is not set\n"
+	fi
 fi
 
 if [ -n "$XBPS_USE_BUILD_MTIME" ]; then
diff --git a/etc/defaults.conf b/etc/defaults.conf
index bc93457747f..133449a150d 100644
--- a/etc/defaults.conf
+++ b/etc/defaults.conf
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ XBPS_SUCMD="sudo /bin/sh -c"
 
 # [OPTIONAL]
 # Enable to use the standard mtime of files. Otherwise it will be rewritten to
-# the HEAD commit time.
+# the HEAD commit time. Requires git when disabled.
 #
 #XBPS_USE_BUILD_MTIME=yes
 
diff --git a/xbps-src b/xbps-src
index ecd389b93e1..a488ed3f849 100755
--- a/xbps-src
+++ b/xbps-src
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ if command -v chroot-git &>/dev/null; then
     export XBPS_GIT_CMD=$(command -v chroot-git)
 elif command -v git &>/dev/null; then
     export XBPS_GIT_CMD=$(command -v git)
-else
+elif [ -z "$XBPS_USE_BUILD_MTIME" ] || [ "$XBPS_USE_GIT_REVS" ]; then
     echo "neither chroot-git or git are available in your system!" 1>&2
     exit 1
 fi