diff --git a/asyncgit/src/sync/utils.rs b/asyncgit/src/sync/utils.rs
index 3250de69e9..148e29baa9 100644
--- a/asyncgit/src/sync/utils.rs
+++ b/asyncgit/src/sync/utils.rs
@@ -26,10 +26,16 @@ pub struct Head {
 
 ///
 pub fn repo_open_error(repo_path: &RepoPath) -> Option<String> {
-	Repository::open_ext(
+	if let Err(e) = Repository::open_ext(
 		repo_path.gitpath(),
 		RepositoryOpenFlags::FROM_ENV,
 		Vec::<&Path>::new(),
+	) {
+		return Some(e.to_string());
+	}
+
+	gix::ThreadSafeRepository::discover_with_environment_overrides(
+		repo_path.gitpath(),
 	)
 	.map_or_else(|e| Some(e.to_string()), |_| None)
 }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index d1c7668ae7..72165b083b 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -355,8 +355,8 @@ fn draw(terminal: &mut Terminal, app: &App) -> io::Result<()> {
 fn ensure_valid_path(repo_path: &RepoPath) -> Result<()> {
 	match asyncgit::sync::repo_open_error(repo_path) {
 		Some(e) => {
-			log::error!("{e}");
-			bail!(e)
+			log::error!("invalid repo path: {e}");
+			bail!("invalid repo path: {e}")
 		}
 		None => Ok(()),
 	}