diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/git.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/git.py
index 33895e09b2..e11271b757 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/git.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/git.py
@@ -373,10 +373,7 @@ class Git(FetchMethod):
             try:
                 # Since clones can be bare, use --absolute-git-dir instead of --show-toplevel
                 output = runfetchcmd("LANG=C %s rev-parse --absolute-git-dir" % ud.basecmd, d, workdir=ud.clonedir)
-            except bb.fetch2.FetchError as e:
-                logger.warning("Unable to get top level for %s (not a git directory?): %s", ud.clonedir, e)
-                needs_clone = True
-            else:
+
                 toplevel = os.path.abspath(output.rstrip())
                 abs_clonedir = os.path.abspath(ud.clonedir).rstrip('/')
                 # The top level Git directory must either be the clone directory
@@ -387,6 +384,9 @@ class Git(FetchMethod):
                 if os.path.commonprefix([abs_clonedir, toplevel]) != abs_clonedir:
                     logger.warning("Top level directory '%s' doesn't match expected '%s'. Re-cloning", toplevel, ud.clonedir)
                     needs_clone = True
+            except bb.fetch2.FetchError as e:
+                logger.warning("Unable to get top level for %s (not a git directory?): %s", ud.clonedir, e)
+                needs_clone = True
 
             if needs_clone:
                 shutil.rmtree(ud.clonedir)