After updating gitbutler complains not found git

[tumukei]

Version

0.18.4

Operating System

Windows

Distribution Method

msi (Windows)

Describe the issue

It seems gitbutler can partially lose git.exe after running updater to update gitbutler and using the restarted instance of the app. Manual restart of gitbutler restores normal operation.

How to reproduce (Optional)

0. Using git 2.52.0 from scoop install git
1. Updated running gitbutler to 0.18.4.
2. Using the version that restarted, created a branch on existing git repo, committed files on it and tried to push it
3. gitbutler complained that it cannot find git.

Expected behavior (Optional)

No response

Relevant log output (Optional)

2026-01-20T10:21:46.052336Z ERROR push_stack: crates\but-api\src\legacy\stack.rs:216: error=backend error: failed to execute git command: program not found

Caused by:
    failed to execute git command: program not found project_id=a1cedbad-2123-448e-8320-1f68c6c3b0b8 stack_id=ea6c6a23-e5a1-4055-ad1f-d52cb6e97bc6 with_force=false skip_force_push_protection=false branch="feature/TC-65746-trace" run_hooks=false push_opts=[]

[Byron]

Thanks a lot for reporting!

It's probably hard to reproduce, but on the next update, could you check the logs to see which Git executable it's using?

This is the line to look for.

INFO     ｉ [info]: system git executable for fetch/push: "git"

On Windows, this is likely a special path, but you could check if it exists and is accessible.

[krlvi]

Hey @tumukei sorry about this issue. Just to confirm, does this work correctly on 0.18.3 for you?

[Byron]

@krlvi It's worth pointing out that this is a one-time issue right after the update. Once the app is restarted, it works again. So I don't think this issue is critical.

[tumukei]

2026-01-20T09:13:17.537818Z  INFO crates\gitbutler-tauri\src\main.rs:470: SHELL variable isn't set - launching with default GUI application environment 
2026-01-20T09:13:17.559680Z  INFO crates\gitbutler-tauri\src\main.rs:105: system git executable for fetch/push: "git.exe"
2026-01-20T09:13:17.803548Z  INFO crates\gitbutler-tauri\src\main.rs:110: system git bash: "C:/Users/tlukinma/scoop/apps/git/2.52.0/bin/sh.exe"
2026-01-20T09:13:17.804076Z  INFO crates\gitbutler-tauri\src\main.rs:139: starting app version=0.18.3 name=GitButler

2026-01-20T09:15:19.827398Z  INFO crates\gitbutler-tauri\src\main.rs:480: SHELL variable isn't set - launching with default GUI application environment 
2026-01-20T09:15:19.827976Z  INFO crates\gitbutler-tauri\src\main.rs:121: system git executable for fetch/push: "git.exe"
2026-01-20T09:15:19.828564Z  INFO crates\gitbutler-tauri\src\main.rs:126: system git bash: "sh.exe"
2026-01-20T09:15:19.829287Z  INFO crates\gitbutler-tauri\src\main.rs:155: starting app version=0.18.4 name=GitButler

2026-01-20T10:24:40.949531Z  INFO crates\gitbutler-tauri\src\main.rs:480: SHELL variable isn't set - launching with default GUI application environment 
2026-01-20T10:24:40.950659Z  INFO crates\gitbutler-tauri\src\main.rs:121: system git executable for fetch/push: "git.exe"
2026-01-20T10:24:41.179869Z  INFO crates\gitbutler-tauri\src\main.rs:126: system git bash: "C:/Users/tlukinma/scoop/apps/git/2.52.0/bin/sh.exe"
2026-01-20T10:24:41.180494Z  INFO crates\gitbutler-tauri\src\main.rs:155: starting app version=0.18.4 name=GitButler

[tumukei]

I don't know if it helps anything, but there is git --exec-path cmd for asking git where it thinks it is located:

>git --exec-path
C:/Users/tlukinma/scoop/apps/git/2.52.0/mingw64/libexec/git-core

[Byron]

That's very interesting, thanks for sharing.

It appears it found the Git shell, but didn't find the Git executable and I wonder why.
The versions of gix definitely changed between the releases, and maybe we are looking at a regression here.
Looping in @EliahKagan just in case.

Something that would be interesting to see is if the pervious GitButler version, presumably 0.18.3, found a different path for the git executable.

[tumukei]

Scoop installs mainly use exe shims to avoid polluting system/user path, so if gitbutler does any calculations based on where the shim is, it might get confused easily.

>scoop prefix git
C:\Users\tlukinma\scoop\apps\git\current

>scoop info git

Name        : git
Description : Distributed version control system
Version     : 2.52.0
Source      : main
Website     : https://gitforwindows.org
License     : GPL-2.0-only
Updated at  : 11/17/2025 10:30:48 PM
Updated by  : github-actions[bot]
Installed   : 2.52.0
Binaries    : bin\sh.exe | bin\bash.exe | cmd\git.exe | cmd\gitk.exe | cmd\git-gui.exe | cmd\scalar.exe |
              usr\bin\tig.exe | git-bash.exe
Shortcuts   : Git Bash | Git GUI
Environment : GIT_INSTALL_ROOT = <root>

>path
PATH=...;C:\Users\tlukinma\scoop\shims;...

>scoop shim info git

Name     : git
Path     : C:\Users\tlukinma\scoop\shims\git.exe
Source   : git
Type     : Application
IsGlobal : False
IsHidden : False

>scoop shim info sh

Name     : sh
Path     : C:\Users\tlukinma\scoop\shims\sh.exe
Source   : git
Type     : Application
IsGlobal : False
IsHidden : False

>scoop cat git
..
    "bin": [
        "bin\\sh.exe",
        "bin\\bash.exe",
        "cmd\\git.exe",
        "cmd\\gitk.exe",
        "cmd\\git-gui.exe",
        "cmd\\scalar.exe",
        "usr\\bin\\tig.exe",
        "git-bash.exe"
    ],

[Byron]

Oh I see! Thanks for all the information. That should be all that's needed to get this sorted.
I am just happy that somehow magically, it works after a restart.