diff --git a/lib/analyze-action-post.js b/lib/analyze-action-post.js
index 36d3f5160..95010644c 100644
--- a/lib/analyze-action-post.js
+++ b/lib/analyze-action-post.js
@@ -162179,12 +162179,8 @@ function hasSubmodules(gitRoot) {
 }
 var getFileOidsUnderPath = async function(basePath) {
   const gitRoot = await getGitRoot(basePath);
-  if (gitRoot === void 0) {
-    throw new Error(
-      `Cannot determine the Git root from ${basePath}.`
-    );
-  }
-  const args = hasSubmodules(gitRoot) ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
+  const mayHaveSubmodules = gitRoot === void 0 ? true : hasSubmodules(gitRoot);
+  const args = mayHaveSubmodules ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
   const stdout = await runGitCommand(
     basePath,
     args,
diff --git a/lib/analyze-action.js b/lib/analyze-action.js
index 8ff502a83..4eb98297f 100644
--- a/lib/analyze-action.js
+++ b/lib/analyze-action.js
@@ -107774,12 +107774,8 @@ function hasSubmodules(gitRoot) {
 }
 var getFileOidsUnderPath = async function(basePath) {
   const gitRoot = await getGitRoot(basePath);
-  if (gitRoot === void 0) {
-    throw new Error(
-      `Cannot determine the Git root from ${basePath}.`
-    );
-  }
-  const args = hasSubmodules(gitRoot) ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
+  const mayHaveSubmodules = gitRoot === void 0 ? true : hasSubmodules(gitRoot);
+  const args = mayHaveSubmodules ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
   const stdout = await runGitCommand(
     basePath,
     args,
diff --git a/lib/autobuild-action.js b/lib/autobuild-action.js
index 1980bf1f3..afe87e5e0 100644
--- a/lib/autobuild-action.js
+++ b/lib/autobuild-action.js
@@ -104233,12 +104233,8 @@ function hasSubmodules(gitRoot) {
 }
 var getFileOidsUnderPath = async function(basePath) {
   const gitRoot = await getGitRoot(basePath);
-  if (gitRoot === void 0) {
-    throw new Error(
-      `Cannot determine the Git root from ${basePath}.`
-    );
-  }
-  const args = hasSubmodules(gitRoot) ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
+  const mayHaveSubmodules = gitRoot === void 0 ? true : hasSubmodules(gitRoot);
+  const args = mayHaveSubmodules ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
   const stdout = await runGitCommand(
     basePath,
     args,
diff --git a/lib/init-action-post.js b/lib/init-action-post.js
index 49956d89f..c9b29cf6e 100644
--- a/lib/init-action-post.js
+++ b/lib/init-action-post.js
@@ -165691,12 +165691,8 @@ function hasSubmodules(gitRoot) {
 }
 var getFileOidsUnderPath = async function(basePath) {
   const gitRoot = await getGitRoot(basePath);
-  if (gitRoot === void 0) {
-    throw new Error(
-      `Cannot determine the Git root from ${basePath}.`
-    );
-  }
-  const args = hasSubmodules(gitRoot) ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
+  const mayHaveSubmodules = gitRoot === void 0 ? true : hasSubmodules(gitRoot);
+  const args = mayHaveSubmodules ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
   const stdout = await runGitCommand(
     basePath,
     args,
diff --git a/lib/init-action.js b/lib/init-action.js
index efd78a136..2ad473a21 100644
--- a/lib/init-action.js
+++ b/lib/init-action.js
@@ -105317,12 +105317,8 @@ function hasSubmodules(gitRoot) {
 }
 var getFileOidsUnderPath = async function(basePath) {
   const gitRoot = await getGitRoot(basePath);
-  if (gitRoot === void 0) {
-    throw new Error(
-      `Cannot determine the Git root from ${basePath}.`
-    );
-  }
-  const args = hasSubmodules(gitRoot) ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
+  const mayHaveSubmodules = gitRoot === void 0 ? true : hasSubmodules(gitRoot);
+  const args = mayHaveSubmodules ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
   const stdout = await runGitCommand(
     basePath,
     args,
diff --git a/lib/resolve-environment-action.js b/lib/resolve-environment-action.js
index 8d3ba7856..b7556ff41 100644
--- a/lib/resolve-environment-action.js
+++ b/lib/resolve-environment-action.js
@@ -104226,12 +104226,8 @@ function hasSubmodules(gitRoot) {
 }
 var getFileOidsUnderPath = async function(basePath) {
   const gitRoot = await getGitRoot(basePath);
-  if (gitRoot === void 0) {
-    throw new Error(
-      `Cannot determine the Git root from ${basePath}.`
-    );
-  }
-  const args = hasSubmodules(gitRoot) ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
+  const mayHaveSubmodules = gitRoot === void 0 ? true : hasSubmodules(gitRoot);
+  const args = mayHaveSubmodules ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
   const stdout = await runGitCommand(
     basePath,
     args,
diff --git a/lib/setup-codeql-action.js b/lib/setup-codeql-action.js
index 8c2dbdbd2..d1999c218 100644
--- a/lib/setup-codeql-action.js
+++ b/lib/setup-codeql-action.js
@@ -104092,12 +104092,8 @@ function hasSubmodules(gitRoot) {
 }
 var getFileOidsUnderPath = async function(basePath) {
   const gitRoot = await getGitRoot(basePath);
-  if (gitRoot === void 0) {
-    throw new Error(
-      `Cannot determine the Git root from ${basePath}.`
-    );
-  }
-  const args = hasSubmodules(gitRoot) ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
+  const mayHaveSubmodules = gitRoot === void 0 ? true : hasSubmodules(gitRoot);
+  const args = mayHaveSubmodules ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
   const stdout = await runGitCommand(
     basePath,
     args,
diff --git a/lib/upload-lib.js b/lib/upload-lib.js
index 3a41bf1f6..ef828d90d 100644
--- a/lib/upload-lib.js
+++ b/lib/upload-lib.js
@@ -107382,12 +107382,8 @@ function hasSubmodules(gitRoot) {
 }
 var getFileOidsUnderPath = async function(basePath) {
   const gitRoot = await getGitRoot(basePath);
-  if (gitRoot === void 0) {
-    throw new Error(
-      `Cannot determine the Git root from ${basePath}.`
-    );
-  }
-  const args = hasSubmodules(gitRoot) ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
+  const mayHaveSubmodules = gitRoot === void 0 ? true : hasSubmodules(gitRoot);
+  const args = mayHaveSubmodules ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
   const stdout = await runGitCommand(
     basePath,
     args,
diff --git a/lib/upload-sarif-action.js b/lib/upload-sarif-action.js
index 6c97bdc38..e2e44d83d 100644
--- a/lib/upload-sarif-action.js
+++ b/lib/upload-sarif-action.js
@@ -107067,12 +107067,8 @@ function hasSubmodules(gitRoot) {
 }
 var getFileOidsUnderPath = async function(basePath) {
   const gitRoot = await getGitRoot(basePath);
-  if (gitRoot === void 0) {
-    throw new Error(
-      `Cannot determine the Git root from ${basePath}.`
-    );
-  }
-  const args = hasSubmodules(gitRoot) ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
+  const mayHaveSubmodules = gitRoot === void 0 ? true : hasSubmodules(gitRoot);
+  const args = mayHaveSubmodules ? ["ls-files", "--recurse-submodules", "--stage"] : ["ls-files", "--stage"];
   const stdout = await runGitCommand(
     basePath,
     args,
diff --git a/src/config-utils.test.ts b/src/config-utils.test.ts
index 4a3b761e8..154963fa0 100644
--- a/src/config-utils.test.ts
+++ b/src/config-utils.test.ts
@@ -1959,6 +1959,20 @@ test.serial(
   },
 );
 
+test.serial(
+  checkOverlayEnablementMacro,
+  "Overlay enabled when git version cannot be determined and repo has no submodules",
+  {
+    overlayDatabaseEnvVar: "overlay",
+    gitVersion: undefined,
+    hasSubmodules: false,
+  },
+  {
+    overlayDatabaseMode: OverlayDatabaseMode.Overlay,
+    useOverlayDatabaseCaching: false,
+  },
+);
+
 test.serial(
   checkOverlayEnablementMacro,
   "No overlay when disabled via repository property",