diff --git a/scripts/setlocalversion b/scripts/setlocalversion
index b7bc0f5b64f65dfb285bdd9489b7ba0b2c3819a8..82e4993f0a7368797989b2acd169fe203766fb7a 100644
--- a/scripts/setlocalversion
+++ b/scripts/setlocalversion
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ if head=`git rev-parse --verify HEAD 2>/dev/null`; then
 	fi
 
 	# Are there uncommitted changes?
-	if git diff-files | read dummy; then
+	if git diff-index HEAD | read dummy; then
 		printf '%s' -dirty
 	fi
 fi