diff --git a/common/environment/setup/git.sh b/common/environment/setup/git.sh
index 9bb32903a34..58f73494fd0 100644
--- a/common/environment/setup/git.sh
+++ b/common/environment/setup/git.sh
@@ -6,5 +6,10 @@ if [ -z "$XBPS_USE_BUILD_MTIME" -a -z "${SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH}" -a -n "$IN_CHROOT"
 	elif command -v git &>/dev/null; then
 		GIT_CMD=$(command -v git)
 	fi
-	export SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH="$($GIT_CMD -C ${XBPS_SRCPKGDIR}/${basepkg} log --pretty='%ct' -n1 .)"
+	# check if the template is under version control:
+	if $GIT_CMD -C ${XBPS_SRCPKGDIR}/${basepkg} status --porcelain template | grep "^?? " &> /dev/null; then
+		export SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH="$(stat -c %Y ${XBPS_SRCPKGDIR}/${basepkg}/template)"
+	else
+		export SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH="$($GIT_CMD -C ${XBPS_SRCPKGDIR}/${basepkg} log --pretty='%ct' -n1 .)"
+	fi
 fi