diff --git a/stagit-index.c b/stagit-index.c
index 26ef16d..735775b 100644
--- a/stagit-index.c
+++ b/stagit-index.c
@@ -188,6 +188,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	git_libgit2_init();
 	for (i = 1; i <= GIT_CONFIG_LEVEL_APP; i++)
 		git_libgit2_opts(GIT_OPT_SET_SEARCH_PATH, i, "");
+	/* do not require the git repository to be owned by the current user */
+	git_libgit2_opts(GIT_OPT_SET_OWNER_VALIDATION, 0);
 
 #ifdef __OpenBSD__
 	if (pledge("stdio rpath", NULL) == -1)
diff --git a/stagit.c b/stagit.c
index 54622a1..2a9c3fe 100644
--- a/stagit.c
+++ b/stagit.c
@@ -1235,6 +1235,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	git_libgit2_init();
 	for (i = 1; i <= GIT_CONFIG_LEVEL_APP; i++)
 		git_libgit2_opts(GIT_OPT_SET_SEARCH_PATH, i, "");
+	/* do not require the git repository to be owned by the current user */
+	git_libgit2_opts(GIT_OPT_SET_OWNER_VALIDATION, 0);
 
 #ifdef __OpenBSD__
 	if (unveil(repodir, "r") == -1)