diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1f6ee7c..88f763e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS := linux-$(GOARCH) darwin-$(GOARCH) windows-$(GOARCH).exe
 BUILD_PACKAGE = $(REPOPATH)/cmd/skaffold
 
 VERSION_PACKAGE = $(REPOPATH)/pkg/skaffold/version
-COMMIT = $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
+COMMIT ?= $(shell git rev-parse HEAD)
+TREE_STATE ?= $(if $(shell git status --porcelain),dirty,clean)
 
 ifeq "$(strip $(VERSION))" ""
  override VERSION = $(shell git describe --always --tags --dirty)
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ GO_BUILD_TAGS_windows := ""
 GO_LDFLAGS = -X $(VERSION_PACKAGE).version=$(VERSION)
 GO_LDFLAGS += -X $(VERSION_PACKAGE).buildDate=$(shell date +'%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ')
 GO_LDFLAGS += -X $(VERSION_PACKAGE).gitCommit=$(COMMIT)
-GO_LDFLAGS += -X $(VERSION_PACKAGE).gitTreeState=$(if $(shell git status --porcelain),dirty,clean)
+GO_LDFLAGS += -X $(VERSION_PACKAGE).gitTreeState=$(TREE_STATE)
 GO_LDFLAGS += -s -w
 
 GO_LDFLAGS_windows =" $(GO_LDFLAGS)  -extldflags \"$(LDFLAGS_windows)\""