diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ab794165..0cbd047f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ PREFIX?=$(shell pwd)
 # Add to compile time flags
 NOTARY_PKG := github.com/theupdateframework/notary
 NOTARY_VERSION := $(shell cat NOTARY_VERSION)
-GITCOMMIT := $(shell git rev-parse --short HEAD)
-GITUNTRACKEDCHANGES := $(shell git status --porcelain --untracked-files=no)
+GITCOMMIT ?= $(shell git rev-parse --short HEAD)
+GITUNTRACKEDCHANGES :=
 ifneq ($(GITUNTRACKEDCHANGES),)
 GITCOMMIT := $(GITCOMMIT)-dirty
 endif