diff --git a/oscar/update_gitinfo.bat b/oscar/update_gitinfo.bat
index e29fcc31..5675a1a7 100755
--- a/oscar/update_gitinfo.bat
+++ b/oscar/update_gitinfo.bat
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ cd %DIR%
 
 if ('git rev-parse --git-dir') (
   for /f %%i in ('git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD') do set GIT_BRANCH=%%i
+  if "%GIT_BRANCH"=="HEAD" set GIT_BRANCH=""
   for /f %%i in ('git rev-parse --short HEAD') do set GIT_REVISION=%%i
   if ('git diff-index --quiet HEAD --') (
     set GIT_REVISION=%GIT_REVISION%-plus
diff --git a/oscar/update_gitinfo.sh b/oscar/update_gitinfo.sh
index 3bbd4663..699ed78c 100755
--- a/oscar/update_gitinfo.sh
+++ b/oscar/update_gitinfo.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ cd $DIR
 git rev-parse --git-dir &>/dev/null
 if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
     GIT_BRANCH=`git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD`
+    [ "$GIT_BRANCH" == "HEAD" ] && GIT_BRANCH=""  # not really a branch
     GIT_REVISION=`git rev-parse --short HEAD`
     $(git diff-index --quiet HEAD --)
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then