diff --git a/release/Makefile.inc1 b/release/Makefile.inc1
index 0cd88f84460c..00a6861686c4 100644
--- a/release/Makefile.inc1
+++ b/release/Makefile.inc1
@@ -10,10 +10,8 @@ GIT_CMD=   ${_P}/git
 .  endif
 . endif
 .endfor
-.if !defined(GIT_CMD) && empty(GIT_CMD)
-. error "Git binary not found.  Set GIT_CMD appropriately."
-.endif
 
+.if !empty(GIT_CMD) && exists(${GIT_CMD})
 # Set the git branch and hash to export where needed.
 .if !defined(GITBRANCH) || empty(GITBRANCH)
 GITBRANCH!=	${GIT_CMD} -C ${.CURDIR} rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null | sed -e 's/\^\///'
@@ -23,6 +21,12 @@ GITBRANCH!=	${GIT_CMD} -C ${.CURDIR} rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null | s
 GITREV!=	${GIT_CMD} -C ${.CURDIR} rev-parse --verify --short HEAD 2>/dev/null || true
 .export GITREV
 .endif
+.else
+GITBRANCH=	nullbranch
+GITREV=		nullhash
+.export GITBRANCH
+.export GITREV
+.endif
 
 # Set the build date, primarily for snapshot builds.
 .if !defined(BUILDDATE) || empty(BUILDDATE)