diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 980f2f6da..3349f033e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -528,17 +528,10 @@ CLI_OBJS = cli_classic.o cli_output.o cli_common.o print.o
 
 # versioninfo.inc is used when packaging flashrom and is generated by the
 # export rule. If versioninfo.inc is not found, version info will be obtained
-# using util/getrevision.sh or "unknown" if SCM metadata directory isn't found.
+# using util/getrevision.sh.
 ifeq ($(wildcard versioninfo.inc),)
-ifeq ($(wildcard .git),)
-VERSION ?= unknown
-MAN_DATE ?= unknown
-else
 VERSION ?= $(shell ./util/getrevision.sh --local)
-MAN_DATE ?= $(shell ./util/getrevision.sh -d $(PROGRAM).8.tmpl 2>/dev/null)
-# This is also a convenient time to install hooks.
-$(shell ./util/git-hooks/install.sh)
-endif
+MAN_DATE ?= $(shell ./util/getrevision.sh --date $(PROGRAM).8.tmpl 2>/dev/null)
 else
 include versioninfo.inc
 endif
@@ -557,6 +550,9 @@ RELEASENAME ?= $(shell echo "$(VERSION)" | sed -e 's/ /_/')
 # Inform user of the version string
 $(info Replacing all version templates with $(VERSION).)
 
+# If a VCS is found then try to install hooks.
+$(shell ./util/getrevision.sh -c 2>/dev/null && ./util/git-hooks/install.sh)
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Default settings of CONFIG_* variables.
 
diff --git a/util/getrevision.sh b/util/getrevision.sh
index e1580e5eb..0f9754625 100755
--- a/util/getrevision.sh
+++ b/util/getrevision.sh
@@ -131,13 +131,14 @@ timestamp() {
 
 # Retrieve local revision info.
 local_revision() {
+	local r
 	if git_is_file_tracked "$1" ; then
-		local r=$(git describe $(git_last_commit "$1"))
+		r=$(git describe $(git_last_commit "$1"))
 		if git_has_local_changes "$1" ; then
 			r="$r-dirty"
 		fi
 	else
-		return ${EXIT_FAILURE}
+		r="unknown"
 	fi
 
 	echo "${r}"