diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index e5ca47b00..2fe455955 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ module.exports = async function lintStaged(
       debugLog('lint-staged config:\n%O', config)
     }
 
+    // Unset GIT_LITERAL_PATHSPECS to not mess with path interpretation
+    debugLog('Unset GIT_LITERAL_PATHSPECS (was `%s`)', process.env.GIT_LITERAL_PATHSPECS)
+    delete process.env.GIT_LITERAL_PATHSPECS
+
     try {
       await runAll(
         { allowEmpty, concurrent, config, debug, maxArgLength, quiet, relative, shell },
diff --git a/lib/resolveGitRepo.js b/lib/resolveGitRepo.js
index 886e2abe2..1ce92db08 100644
--- a/lib/resolveGitRepo.js
+++ b/lib/resolveGitRepo.js
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ const resolveGitConfigDir = async gitDir => {
 const resolveGitRepo = async cwd => {
   try {
     debugLog('Resolving git repo from `%s`', cwd)
-    // git cli uses GIT_DIR to fast track its response however it might be set to a different path
-    // depending on where the caller initiated this from, hence clear GIT_DIR
-    debugLog('Deleting GIT_DIR from env with value `%s`', process.env.GIT_DIR)
+
+    // Unset GIT_DIR before running any git operations in case it's pointing to an incorrect location
+    debugLog('Unset GIT_DIR (was `%s`)', process.env.GIT_DIR)
     delete process.env.GIT_DIR
 
     const gitDir = normalize(await execGit(['rev-parse', '--show-toplevel'], { cwd }))