diff --git a/cmake/GenerateVersion.cmake b/cmake/GenerateVersion.cmake
index d2a711fdf9..c054a621e3 100644
--- a/cmake/GenerateVersion.cmake
+++ b/cmake/GenerateVersion.cmake
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ set(NVIM_VERSION
     "v${NVIM_VERSION_MAJOR}.${NVIM_VERSION_MINOR}.${NVIM_VERSION_PATCH}${NVIM_VERSION_PRERELEASE}")
 
 execute_process(
-  COMMAND git describe --first-parent --dirty --always
+  COMMAND git --git-dir=${NVIM_SOURCE_DIR}/.git --work-tree=${NVIM_SOURCE_DIR} describe --first-parent --dirty --always
   OUTPUT_VARIABLE GIT_TAG
   OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
   RESULT_VARIABLE RES)
diff --git a/src/nvim/CMakeLists.txt b/src/nvim/CMakeLists.txt
index 987b5c575f..3da2db3f8b 100755
--- a/src/nvim/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/nvim/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -206,6 +206,7 @@ add_custom_target(update_version_stamp
     -DNVIM_VERSION_PATCH=${NVIM_VERSION_PATCH}
     -DNVIM_VERSION_PRERELEASE=${NVIM_VERSION_PRERELEASE}
     -DOUTPUT=${NVIM_VERSION_GIT_H}
+    -DNVIM_SOURCE_DIR=${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
     -P ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/GenerateVersion.cmake
   BYPRODUCTS ${NVIM_VERSION_GIT_H})