diff --git a/synapse/__init__.py b/synapse/__init__.py
index f8ec4b0459..7d548b0a8a 100644
--- a/synapse/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/__init__.py
@@ -16,4 +16,4 @@
 """ This is a reference implementation of a Matrix home server.
 """
 
-__version__ = "0.7.1-r1"
+__version__ = "0.7.1-r2"
diff --git a/synapse/app/homeserver.py b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
index ea20de1434..2c463936cb 100755
--- a/synapse/app/homeserver.py
+++ b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
@@ -210,61 +210,64 @@ class SynapseHomeServer(HomeServer):
 
 
 def get_version_string():
-    null = open(os.devnull, 'w')
-    cwd = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
     try:
-        git_branch = subprocess.check_output(
-            ['git', 'rev-parse', '--abbrev-ref', 'HEAD'],
-            stderr=null,
-            cwd=cwd,
-        ).strip()
-        git_branch = "b=" + git_branch
-    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
-        git_branch = ""
+        null = open(os.devnull, 'w')
+        cwd = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+        try:
+            git_branch = subprocess.check_output(
+                ['git', 'rev-parse', '--abbrev-ref', 'HEAD'],
+                stderr=null,
+                cwd=cwd,
+            ).strip()
+            git_branch = "b=" + git_branch
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+            git_branch = ""
 
-    try:
-        git_tag = subprocess.check_output(
-            ['git', 'describe', '--exact-match'],
-            stderr=null,
-            cwd=cwd,
-        ).strip()
-        git_tag = "t=" + git_tag
-    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
-        git_tag = ""
+        try:
+            git_tag = subprocess.check_output(
+                ['git', 'describe', '--exact-match'],
+                stderr=null,
+                cwd=cwd,
+            ).strip()
+            git_tag = "t=" + git_tag
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+            git_tag = ""
 
-    try:
-        git_commit = subprocess.check_output(
-            ['git', 'rev-parse', '--short', 'HEAD'],
-            stderr=null,
-            cwd=cwd,
-        ).strip()
-    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
-        git_commit = ""
+        try:
+            git_commit = subprocess.check_output(
+                ['git', 'rev-parse', '--short', 'HEAD'],
+                stderr=null,
+                cwd=cwd,
+            ).strip()
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+            git_commit = ""
 
-    try:
-        dirty_string = "-this_is_a_dirty_checkout"
-        is_dirty = subprocess.check_output(
-            ['git', 'describe', '--dirty=' + dirty_string],
-            stderr=null,
-            cwd=cwd,
-        ).strip().endswith(dirty_string)
+        try:
+            dirty_string = "-this_is_a_dirty_checkout"
+            is_dirty = subprocess.check_output(
+                ['git', 'describe', '--dirty=' + dirty_string],
+                stderr=null,
+                cwd=cwd,
+            ).strip().endswith(dirty_string)
 
-        git_dirty = "dirty" if is_dirty else ""
-    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
-        git_dirty = ""
+            git_dirty = "dirty" if is_dirty else ""
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+            git_dirty = ""
 
-    if git_branch or git_tag or git_commit or git_dirty:
-        git_version = ",".join(
-            s for s in
-            (git_branch, git_tag, git_commit, git_dirty,)
-            if s
-        )
-
-        return (
-            "Synapse/%s (%s)" % (
-                synapse.__version__, git_version,
+        if git_branch or git_tag or git_commit or git_dirty:
+            git_version = ",".join(
+                s for s in
+                (git_branch, git_tag, git_commit, git_dirty,)
+                if s
             )
-        ).encode("ascii")
+
+            return (
+                "Synapse/%s (%s)" % (
+                    synapse.__version__, git_version,
+                )
+            ).encode("ascii")
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.warn("Failed to check for git repository: %s", e)
 
     return ("Synapse/%s" % (synapse.__version__,)).encode("ascii")