diff --git a/test.cmake b/test.cmake
index f7735cba1..d1c04f377 100755
--- a/test.cmake
+++ b/test.cmake
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ string(REPLACE "ref: refs/heads/" "" git_branch "${git_branch}") # -> user/fooba
 if(NOT git_branch MATCHES "^[0-9a-f]+$")                         # an actual branch name, not a hash
    # read the associated hash
    if(EXISTS "${CTEST_SOURCE_DIRECTORY}/.git/refs/heads/${git_branch}")
-      file(READ "${CTEST_SOURCE_DIRECTORY}/.git/refs/heads/${git_branch}" git_hash LIMIT 7)
+      set(git_hash_file "${CTEST_SOURCE_DIRECTORY}/.git/refs/heads/${git_branch}")
+      file(READ "${git_hash_file}" git_hash LIMIT 7)
       string(STRIP "${git_hash}" git_hash)
    endif()
    string(REGEX REPLACE "^.*/" "" git_branch "${git_branch}")
@@ -285,8 +286,8 @@ if(NOT is_nightly)
    # nightly builds shouldn't contain the git hash, since it makes expected builds impossible
    string(STRIP "${git_hash} ${CTEST_BUILD_NAME}" CTEST_BUILD_NAME)
    # instead make sure the hash is included in the notes
-   if(EXISTS "${CTEST_SOURCE_DIRECTORY}/.git/refs/heads/${git_branch}")
-      list(APPEND CTEST_NOTES_FILES "${CTEST_SOURCE_DIRECTORY}/.git/refs/heads/${git_branch}")
+   if(DEFINED git_hash_file)
+      list(APPEND CTEST_NOTES_FILES "${git_hash_file}")
    endif()
 endif()
 if(DEFINED subset)