diff --git a/git_cl.py b/git_cl.py
index aa19d29cb..a186029f1 100755
--- a/git_cl.py
+++ b/git_cl.py
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ class Settings(object):
     if self.is_git_svn is None:
       # If you have any "svn-remote.*" config keys, we think you're using svn.
       self.is_git_svn = RunGitWithCode(
-          ['config', '--get-regexp', r'^svn-remote\.'])[0] == 0
+          ['config', '--local', '--get-regexp', r'^svn-remote\.'])[0] == 0
     return self.is_git_svn
 
   def GetSVNBranch(self):
diff --git a/tests/git_cl_test.py b/tests/git_cl_test.py
index 58508bf45..a890dac4f 100755
--- a/tests/git_cl_test.py
+++ b/tests/git_cl_test.py
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ class TestGitCl(TestCase):
     return [
       ((['git', 'config', 'rietveld.cc'],), ''),
       ((['git', 'config', 'branch.master.base-url'],), ''),
-      ((['git', 'config', '--get-regexp', '^svn-remote\\.'],),
+      ((['git', 'config', '--local', '--get-regexp', '^svn-remote\\.'],),
         (('', None), 0)),
       ((['git', 'rev-parse', '--show-cdup'],), ''),
       ((['git', 'svn', 'info'],), ''),
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ class TestGitCl(TestCase):
   @classmethod
   def _dcommit_calls_1(cls):
     return [
-      ((['git', 'config', '--get-regexp', '^svn-remote\\.'],),
+      ((['git', 'config', '--local', '--get-regexp', '^svn-remote\\.'],),
        ((('svn-remote.svn.url svn://svn.chromium.org/chrome\n'
           'svn-remote.svn.fetch trunk/src:refs/remotes/origin/master'),
          None),