diff --git a/src/git.coffee b/src/git.coffee
index 607b87450..cbaef9195 100644
--- a/src/git.coffee
+++ b/src/git.coffee
@@ -102,11 +102,11 @@ class Git
 
   # Returns the corresponding {Repository}
   getRepo: (path) ->
-    unless @repo?
+    if @repo?
+      @repo.submoduleForPath(path) ? @repo
+    else
       throw new Error("Repository has been destroyed")
 
-    @repo.submoduleForPath(path) ? @repo
-
   # Reread the index to update any values that have changed since the
   # last time the index was read.
   refreshIndex: -> @getRepo().refreshIndex()