diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 367b57f69..8af354d99 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -236,7 +236,10 @@ $(SPARK_SUBMIT_CMD):
 lint: $(GOLANGCI_LINT_BIN)
 	@echo "running golangci-lint"
 	@git show-ref 
-	@git symbolic-ref -q HEAD && REV="origin/HEAD" || REV="HEAD^" ; \
+	@git symbolic-ref -q HEAD && REV="origin/HEAD"; \
+	echo "REV1 is $${REV}" ; \
+	git rev-parse $${REV} || REV="HEAD^"; \
+	echo "REV2 is $${REV}" ; \
 	headSHA=$$(git rev-parse --short=12 $${REV}) ; \
 	echo "checking against commit sha $${headSHA}" ; \
 	"${GOLANGCI_LINT_BIN}" run --new-from-rev=$${headSHA}