diff --git a/setup.c b/setup.c
index 95d5b00940..3c6ed17af9 100644
--- a/setup.c
+++ b/setup.c
@@ -1053,7 +1053,8 @@ static int ensure_valid_ownership(const char *path)
 {
 	struct safe_directory_data data = { .path = path };
 
-	if (is_path_owned_by_current_user(path))
+	if (!git_env_bool("GIT_TEST_ASSUME_DIFFERENT_OWNER", 0) &&
+	    is_path_owned_by_current_user(path))
 		return 1;
 
 	read_very_early_config(safe_directory_cb, &data);
diff --git a/t/t0033-safe-directory.sh b/t/t0033-safe-directory.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..9380ff3d01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t0033-safe-directory.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+test_description='verify safe.directory checks'
+
+. ./test-lib.sh
+
+GIT_TEST_ASSUME_DIFFERENT_OWNER=1
+export GIT_TEST_ASSUME_DIFFERENT_OWNER
+
+expect_rejected_dir () {
+	test_must_fail git status 2>err &&
+	grep "safe.directory" err
+}
+
+test_expect_success 'safe.directory is not set' '
+	expect_rejected_dir
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'safe.directory does not match' '
+	git config --global safe.directory bogus &&
+	expect_rejected_dir
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'safe.directory matches' '
+	git config --global --add safe.directory "$(pwd)" &&
+	git status
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'safe.directory matches, but is reset' '
+	git config --global --add safe.directory "" &&
+	expect_rejected_dir
+'
+
+test_done