diff --git a/gp_mkpkg b/gp_mkpkg
index 495dbe0..b169e79 100755
--- a/gp_mkpkg
+++ b/gp_mkpkg
@@ -60,8 +60,10 @@ def checkout_packaging_branch(pkg, force):
     spec etc so the patch-sets can be added.)
     """
     if force:
-        git('checkout', '-f', pkg)
-
+        try:
+          git('checkout', '-f', pkg)
+        except:
+          fail("Unable to checkout '%s' branch." % (pkg))
     try:
         branch = git('symbolic-ref', 'HEAD').replace('refs/heads/', '').rstrip()
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
@@ -314,6 +316,14 @@ parser.add_argument('-V', '--verbose',
 
 args = parser.parse_args()
 
+GIT_DIR=".git"
+if args.git_dir:
+    GIT_DIR="%s/.git" % (args.git_dir)
+
+if not os.path.exists(GIT_DIR):
+    fail("%s directory doesn't exist." %GIT_DIR)
+    sys.exit(1)
+
 if args.git_dir:
     try:
         with open(os.devnull, 'w') as null:
diff --git a/gp_setup b/gp_setup
index 4ae216d..21b5a69 100755
--- a/gp_setup
+++ b/gp_setup
@@ -132,8 +132,6 @@ use_existing() {
 		# Would be nice to default to tag=version
 		unpack=true
 		basetag=${1#*=}
-		# Make a git repo if there isn't one
-		if ! [[ -d .git ]]; then git init; fi
 		shift ;;
 	    --pkgdir=* )
 		pkgdir=${1#*=}
@@ -156,11 +154,6 @@ use_existing() {
 	esac
     done
 
-    # If --unpack-to didn't make one then complain if we're not in a git repo
-    [[ -d .git ]] || {
-	fatal "This is not a git repository; use gp_setup when you've cloned or created a normal src repo that is ready for packaging".
-    }
-
     [[ $pkgdir ]] || { fatal "You must supply --pkgdir when using --auto"; }
     [[ -d $pkgdir ]] || { fatal "Supplied --pkgdir '$pkgdir' is not a directory"; }
     # Determine version/release numbers
@@ -195,8 +188,14 @@ use_existing() {
 
     pbranch="${DISTRO}-master"
 
-    if ! [[ -d .git ]]; then
-	fatal "This is not a git repository"
+    # Make sure we have git tree initialized.
+    if ! [[ -d .git ]]; then 
+       git init
+    fi
+
+    # Make sure there is at least one commit on the git tree.
+    if [[ "$(git branch | wc -l)" -eq "0" ]]; then
+        git commit -s --allow-empty -m "Initialized git repository."
     fi
 
     # Verify there's only a single spec or yaml file.