diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7c85403..20992ed 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -179,9 +179,9 @@ test: zdtm
 # Generating tar requires tag matched CRIU_VERSION.
 # If not found then simply use GIT's describe with
 # "v" prefix stripped.
-head-name := $(shell git tag -l v$(CRIU_VERSION))
+head-name := $(shell if [ -d ".git" ]; then git tag -l v$(CRIU_VERSION); fi)
 ifeq ($(head-name),)
-        head-name := $(shell git describe)
+        head-name := $(shell if [ -d ".git" ]; then git describe; fi)
 endif
 tar-name := $(shell echo $(head-name) | sed -e 's/^v//g')
 criu-$(tar-name).tar.bz2: