diff --git a/make/projects-dir.mk b/make/projects-dir.mk
index 945c3e82..58d18f1c 100644
--- a/make/projects-dir.mk
+++ b/make/projects-dir.mk
@@ -117,6 +117,9 @@ PROJECTS_PY                  = $(TIME) python3 $(JWB_SCRIPT_DIR)/jw-projects.py
 PROJECTS_PY_BUILD            = $(PROJECTS_PY) build $(PROJECTS_PY_EXTRA_BUILD_OPTS)
 
 PGIT_SH                     := /bin/bash $(JWB_SCRIPT_DIR)/pgit.sh
+ifneq ($(origin PROJECTS_DIR_REMOTE_BASE),undefined)
+  PGIT_SH                   += --remote-base $(PROJECTS_DIR_REMOTE_BASE)
+endif
 PGIT_SH_CLONE               := $(PGIT_SH) clone
 PGIT_SH_CLONE_DEFAULT        = $(PGIT_SH_CLONE) $(PGIT_SH_OPTS_NETWORK)
 ifneq ($(JANWARE_USER),)
@@ -131,9 +134,6 @@ endif
 ifneq ($(JANWARE_USER),)
   PGIT_SH_CLONE_DEFAULT     += --create-remote-user-repos
 endif
-ifneq ($(origin PROJECTS_DIR_REMOTE_BASE),undefined)
-  PGIT_SH                   += --remote-base $(PROJECTS_DIR_REMOTE_BASE)
-endif
 
 PURGE_SH                     = /bin/bash $(firstword $(wildcard $(JWB_SCRIPT_DIR)/purge-stale-projects.sh $(JW_PKG_BINDIR)/purge-stale-projects.sh) purge-not-found)
 PKG_MANAGER_SH              ?= /bin/bash $(firstword $(wildcard $(JWB_SCRIPT_DIR)/pkg-manager.sh $(JW_PKG_BINDIR)/pkg-manager.sh) pkg-manager-not-found)