diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/config/machine.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/config/machine.py
index 4e6be49f4..90563194a 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/config/machine.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/config/machine.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from typing import Optional
 from fastapi import HTTPException
 
 from clan_cli.dirs import get_clan_flake_toplevel, nixpkgs_source
-from clan_cli.git import commit_file
+from clan_cli.git import commit_file, find_git_repo_root
 from clan_cli.machines.folders import machine_folder, machine_settings_file
 from clan_cli.nix import nix_eval
 
@@ -37,7 +37,10 @@ def set_config_for_machine(machine_name: str, config: dict) -> None:
     settings_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     with open(settings_path, "w") as f:
         json.dump(config, f)
-    commit_file(settings_path)
+    repo_dir = find_git_repo_root()
+
+    if repo_dir is not None:
+        commit_file(settings_path, repo_dir)
 
 
 def schema_for_machine(machine_name: str, flake: Optional[Path] = None) -> dict:
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/dirs.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/dirs.py
index b3d5a2eb2..a3b054016 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/dirs.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/dirs.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import os
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Optional
 
 from .errors import ClanError
 
@@ -9,8 +10,11 @@ def get_clan_flake_toplevel() -> Path:
     return find_toplevel([".clan-flake", ".git", ".hg", ".svn", "flake.nix"])
 
 
-def find_git_repo_root() -> Path:
-    return find_toplevel([".git"])
+def find_git_repo_root() -> Optional[Path]:
+    try:
+        return find_toplevel([".git"])
+    except ClanError:
+        return None
 
 
 def find_toplevel(top_level_files: list[str]) -> Path:
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/git.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/git.py
index 700d0aa8a..013e07144 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/git.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/git.py
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@ def commit_file(
     repo_dir: Optional[Path] = None,
     commit_message: Optional[str] = None,
 ) -> None:
-    # set default for repo_dir
     if repo_dir is None:
         repo_dir = find_git_repo_root()
+        if repo_dir is None:
+            return
     # check that the file is in the git repository and exists
     if not Path(file_path).resolve().is_relative_to(repo_dir.resolve()):
         raise ClanError(f"File {file_path} is not in the git repository {repo_dir}")
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_dirs.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_dirs.py
index 2dec0e174..c621ff19c 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_dirs.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_dirs.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ def test_get_clan_flake_toplevel(
 ) -> None:
     monkeypatch.chdir(temporary_dir)
     with pytest.raises(ClanError):
-        get_clan_flake_toplevel()
+        print(get_clan_flake_toplevel())
     (temporary_dir / ".git").touch()
     assert get_clan_flake_toplevel() == temporary_dir