diff --git a/autoload/sy.vim b/autoload/sy.vim
index c58ddf1..2ed2b70 100644
--- a/autoload/sy.vim
+++ b/autoload/sy.vim
@@ -55,12 +55,52 @@ function! sy#start() abort
     " register buffer as active
     let b:sy.active = 1
 
-    let [ diff, b:sy.type ] = sy#repo#detect()
-    if b:sy.type == 'unknown'
-      call sy#disable()
-      return
-    endif
+    call sy#repo#detect(1)
+    " let [ diff, b:sy.type ] = sy#repo#detect()
+    " if b:sy.type == 'unknown'
+    "   call sy#disable()
+    "   return
+    " endif
 
+    " " register file as active with found VCS
+    " let b:sy.stats = [0, 0, 0]
+
+    " let dir = fnamemodify(b:sy.path, ':h')
+    " if !has_key(g:sy_cache, dir)
+    "   let g:sy_cache[dir] = b:sy.type
+    " endif
+
+    " if empty(diff)
+    "   " no changes found
+    "   return
+    " endif
+
+  " inactive buffer.. bail out
+  elseif !b:sy.active
+    return
+
+  " retry detecting VCS
+  elseif b:sy.type == 'unknown'
+    call sy#repo#detect(0)
+
+  " update signs
+  else
+    let diff = sy#repo#get_diff_{b:sy.type}()[1]
+    let b:sy.id_top = g:id_top
+  endif
+
+  call sy#update_signs(diff, type)
+endfunction
+
+function! sy#update_signs(diff, type, do_register) abort
+  if b:sy.type == 'unknown'
+    echomsg 'DEBUG: type unknown'
+    " no VCS found
+    call sy#disable()
+    return
+  endif
+
+  if do_register
     " register file as active with found VCS
     let b:sy.stats = [0, 0, 0]
 
@@ -73,24 +113,6 @@ function! sy#start() abort
       " no changes found
       return
     endif
-
-  " inactive buffer.. bail out
-  elseif !b:sy.active
-    return
-
-  " retry detecting VCS
-  elseif b:sy.type == 'unknown'
-    let [ diff, b:sy.type ] = sy#repo#detect()
-    if b:sy.type == 'unknown'
-      " no VCS found
-      call sy#disable()
-      return
-    endif
-
-  " update signs
-  else
-    let diff = sy#repo#get_diff_{b:sy.type}()[1]
-    let b:sy.id_top = g:id_top
   endif
 
   if get(g:, 'signify_line_highlight')
@@ -99,7 +121,7 @@ function! sy#start() abort
     call sy#highlight#line_disable()
   endif
 
-  call sy#sign#process_diff(diff)
+  call sy#sign#process_diff(a:diff)
 
   let b:sy.id_top = (g:id_top - 1)
 
diff --git a/autoload/sy/repo.vim b/autoload/sy/repo.vim
index c71b1f8..ac00ecf 100644
--- a/autoload/sy/repo.vim
+++ b/autoload/sy/repo.vim
@@ -16,19 +16,53 @@ function! sy#repo#detect() abort
   endif
 
   for type in vcs_list
-    let [istype, diff] = sy#repo#get_diff_{type}()
-    if istype
-      return [diff, type]
-    endif
+    call sy#repo#get_diff_{type}()
   endfor
+    " let [istype, diff] = sy#repo#get_diff_{type}()
+    " if istype
+    "   return [diff, type]
+    " endif
+  " endfor
 
-  return ['', 'unknown']
+  " return ['', 'unknown']
+endfunction
+
+" Function: s:callback_stdout_nvim {{{1
+function! s:callback_stdout_nvim(_job_id, data, _event) dict abort
+  if empty(self.stdoutbuf) || empty(self.stdoutbuf[-1])
+    let self.stdoutbuf += a:data
+  else
+    let self.stdoutbuf = self.stdoutbuf[:2]
+          \ + [self.stdoutbuf[-1] . get(a:data, 0, '')
+          \ + a:data[1:]
+  endif
+endfunction
+
+" Function: s:callback_exit {{{1
+function! s:callback_exit(_job_id, exitcode, _event) dict abort
+  let [found_diff, diff] = a:exitcode ? [0, ''] : [1, diff]
+  call sy#update_signs(found_diff, diff)
 endfunction
 
 " Function: #get_diff_git {{{1
 function! sy#repo#get_diff_git() abort
-  let diff = s:run(g:signify_vcs_cmds.git, b:sy_info.file)
-  return v:shell_error ? [0, ''] : [1, diff]
+  let cmd = (has('win32') && &shell =~ 'cmd')
+        \ ? g:signify_vcs_cmds.git
+        \ : ['sh', '-c', g:signify_vcs_cmds.git]
+  let cmd = s:expand_cmd(cmd, b:sy_info.file)
+  if exists('s:job_id_git')
+    silent! call jobstop(s:job_id_git)
+  endif
+  execute b:sy_info.chdir fnameescape(b:sy_info.dir)
+  try
+    let s:job_id_git = jobstart(cmd, {
+          \ 'stdoutbuf': [],
+          \ 'on_stdout': function('s:callback_stdout_nvim'),
+          \ 'on_exit':   function('s:callback_exit'),
+          \ })
+  finally
+    execute b:sy_info.chdir b:sy_info.cwd
+  endtry
 endfunction
 
 " Function: #get_diff_hg {{{1