diff --git a/configure/E3/RULES_E3 b/configure/E3/RULES_E3
index b620ef4c716adbca039e6fbdd67f8ace6dd98a86..a476753712546c532af121670496de1b3f19acd2 100644
--- a/configure/E3/RULES_E3
+++ b/configure/E3/RULES_E3
@@ -68,7 +68,11 @@ build: consistency_checks checkout prebuild db_internal
 	@echo "wrapper_url: '$(${E3_MODULE_NAME}_E3_GIT_URL)'" > ${COMMON_DIR}/${METAFILE}
 	@echo "wrapper_git_ref: '$(${E3_MODULE_NAME}_E3_GIT_DESC)'" >> ${COMMON_DIR}/${METAFILE}
 	@echo "Generating Git diff file ${COMMON_DIR}/${BUILD_DIFF_FILE}"
-	@git diff > ${COMMON_DIR}/${BUILD_DIFF_FILE} || touch ${COMMON_DIR}/${BUILD_DIFF_FILE}
+	@if git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree > /dev/null 2>&1; then \
+		git diff > ${COMMON_DIR}/${BUILD_DIFF_FILE}; \
+	else \
+    	> ${COMMON_DIR}/${BUILD_DIFF_FILE}; \
+	fi
 
 ## Run module-specific commands before building
 prebuild: consistency_checks