diff --git a/PBGitRepository.h b/PBGitRepository.h
index d3be75984..6f109d23e 100644
--- a/PBGitRepository.h
+++ b/PBGitRepository.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ extern NSString* PBGitRepositoryErrorDomain;
 
 - (NSString *)workingDirectory;
 - (NSString *)gitIgnoreFilename;
+- (BOOL)isBareRepository;
 
 - (BOOL) reloadRefs;
 - (void) addRef:(PBGitRef *)ref fromParameters:(NSArray *)params;
diff --git a/PBGitRepository.m b/PBGitRepository.m
index 72326ca38..e59b129aa 100644
--- a/PBGitRepository.m
+++ b/PBGitRepository.m
@@ -161,6 +161,11 @@ - (NSString*)gitIgnoreFilename
 	return [[self workingDirectory] stringByAppendingPathComponent:@".gitignore"];
 }
 
+- (BOOL)isBareRepository
+{
+	return [PBGitRepository isBareRepository:[self fileURL].path];
+}
+
 // Overridden to create our custom window controller
 - (void)makeWindowControllers
 {
diff --git a/PBGitWindowController.m b/PBGitWindowController.m
index 4899ed074..c430ba6e8 100644
--- a/PBGitWindowController.m
+++ b/PBGitWindowController.m
@@ -41,6 +41,14 @@ - (void)windowWillClose:(NSNotification *)notification
 		[commitViewController removeView];
 }
 
+- (BOOL)validateMenuItem:(NSMenuItem *)menuItem
+{
+	if ([menuItem action] == @selector(showCommitView:) || [menuItem action] == @selector(showHistoryView:)) {
+		return ![repository isBareRepository];
+	}
+	return YES;
+}
+
 - (void) setSelectedViewIndex: (int) i
 {
 	selectedViewIndex = i;
@@ -120,6 +128,7 @@ - (void) useToolbar:(NSToolbar *)toolbar
 		}
 	}
 	[item bind:@"selectedIndex" toObject:self withKeyPath:@"selectedViewIndex" options:0];
+	[item setEnabled: ![repository isBareRepository]];
 
 	[self.window setToolbar:toolbar];
 }