diff --git a/plugin/fugitive.vim b/plugin/fugitive.vim
index 041c8be..aaa3e13 100644
--- a/plugin/fugitive.vim
+++ b/plugin/fugitive.vim
@@ -119,7 +119,9 @@ function! fugitive#extract_git_dir(path) abort
       return resolve(dir)
     elseif type !=# '' && filereadable(dir)
       let line = get(readfile(dir, '', 1), 0, '')
-      if line =~# '^gitdir: ' && fugitive#is_git_dir(line[8:-1])
+      if line =~# '^gitdir: \.' && fugitive#is_git_dir(root.'/'.line[8:-1])
+        return simplify(root.'/'.line[8:-1])
+      elseif line =~# '^gitdir: ' && fugitive#is_git_dir(line[8:-1])
         return line[8:-1]
       endif
     elseif fugitive#is_git_dir(root)