diff --git a/app/src/ui/add-repository/add-existing-repository.tsx b/app/src/ui/add-repository/add-existing-repository.tsx
index 6f7d247df81..071cdd8e17a 100644
--- a/app/src/ui/add-repository/add-existing-repository.tsx
+++ b/app/src/ui/add-repository/add-existing-repository.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { showOpenDialog } from '../main-process-proxy'
 import { Ref } from '../lib/ref'
 import { InputError } from '../lib/input-description/input-error'
 import { IAccessibleMessage } from '../../models/accessible-message'
+import { isGitRepository } from './create-repository'
 
 interface IAddExistingRepositoryProps {
   readonly dispatcher: Dispatcher
@@ -278,9 +279,9 @@ export class AddExistingRepository extends React.Component<
   }
 
   private onPathChanged = async (path: string) => {
-    if (this.state.path !== path) {
-      this.updatePath(path)
-    }
+    const isRepository = await isGitRepository(this.resolvedPath(path))
+
+    this.setState({ path, isRepository })
   }
 
   private showFilePicker = async () => {