diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 88a52048cd8..249d056e85c 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -79,7 +79,11 @@ if(NOT CMAKE_ARCHIVE_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)
   set(CMAKE_ARCHIVE_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/lib)
 endif()
 
-find_package(Git QUIET)
+set(IS_SOURCE_TARBALL FALSE)
+# git will put "set(IS_SOURCE_TARBALL TRUE)" on the next line inside archives. $Format:%nset(IS_SOURCE_TARBALL TRUE)$
+if(NOT IS_SOURCE_TARBALL AND PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL)
+  find_package(Git QUIET)
+endif()
 add_custom_target(generate_build_info
   BYPRODUCTS ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/src/bitcoin-build-info.h
   COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -DGIT_EXECUTABLE=${GIT_EXECUTABLE} -DBUILD_INFO_HEADER_PATH=${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/src/bitcoin-build-info.h -DSOURCE_DIR=${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR} -P ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/script/GenerateBuildInfo.cmake