diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 44a59c8c2..0ef947583 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ YOSYS_VER := 0.26+50
 # back to calling git directly.
 TARBALL_GIT_REV := $(shell cat $(YOSYS_SRC)/.gitcommit)
 ifeq ($(TARBALL_GIT_REV),$$Format:%h$$)
-GIT_REV := $(shell git ls-remote $(YOSYS_SRC) HEAD -q | $(AWK) 'BEGIN {R = "UNKNOWN"}; ($$2 == "HEAD") {R = substr($$1, 1, 9); exit} END {print R}')
+GIT_REV := $(shell GIT_DIR=$(YOSYS_SRC)/.git git rev-parse --short=9 HEAD || echo UNKNOWN)
 else
 GIT_REV := $(TARBALL_GIT_REV)
 endif