diff --git a/internal/cli/doctor.go b/internal/cli/doctor.go
index 698e9ae..3fe0759 100644
--- a/internal/cli/doctor.go
+++ b/internal/cli/doctor.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/openbootdotdev/openboot/internal/brew"
+	"github.com/openbootdotdev/openboot/internal/system"
 	"github.com/openbootdotdev/openboot/internal/ui"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
@@ -143,10 +144,10 @@ func checkGit() []checkResult {
 		status: "ok",
 	})
 
-	name, _ := exec.Command("git", "config", "--global", "user.name").Output()
-	email, _ := exec.Command("git", "config", "--global", "user.email").Output()
+	name := system.GetGitConfig("user.name")
+	email := system.GetGitConfig("user.email")
 
-	if len(strings.TrimSpace(string(name))) == 0 || len(strings.TrimSpace(string(email))) == 0 {
+	if name == "" || email == "" {
 		results = append(results, checkResult{
 			name:    "Git identity",
 			status:  "warn",
diff --git a/internal/diff/compare.go b/internal/diff/compare.go
index 57c292f..c7f414c 100644
--- a/internal/diff/compare.go
+++ b/internal/diff/compare.go
@@ -171,6 +171,12 @@ func diffDotfiles(systemURL, referenceURL string) *DotfilesDiff {
 		dd.RepoChanged = &ValueChange{System: systemURL, Reference: referenceURL}
 	}
 
+	// Only check local dotfiles repo state if dotfiles are actually configured
+	// If both URLs are empty, there's no dotfiles setup to check
+	if sysNorm == "" && refNorm == "" {
+		return dd
+	}
+
 	// Check local dotfiles repo for dirty state
 	home, err := os.UserHomeDir()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/system/system.go b/internal/system/system.go
index f22be6e..c945ee9 100644
--- a/internal/system/system.go
+++ b/internal/system/system.go
@@ -70,11 +70,18 @@ func InstallHomebrew() error {
 }
 
 func GetGitConfig(key string) string {
+	// Try global first (most common)
 	output, err := RunCommandSilent("git", "config", "--global", key)
-	if err != nil {
-		return ""
+	if err == nil && output != "" {
+		return output
+	}
+	// Fall back to system config only (skip local to avoid repo-specific values)
+	output, err = RunCommandSilent("git", "config", "--system", key)
+	if err == nil {
+		return output
 	}
-	return output
+
+	return ""
 }
 
 func GetExistingGitConfig() (name, email string) {
diff --git a/internal/system/system_test.go b/internal/system/system_test.go
index 84ca188..423e640 100644
--- a/internal/system/system_test.go
+++ b/internal/system/system_test.go
@@ -302,3 +302,28 @@ func TestRunCommandSilent_MultilineOutput(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, output, "line2")
 	assert.Contains(t, output, "line3")
 }
+
+// TestGetGitConfig_FallsBackToSystemScope verifies that GetGitConfig falls back
+// to --system scope (not local) when --global has no value. This ensures that
+// running openboot inside a repo with local git config does not skip the global
+// git config wizard.
+// Regression test for: git config detection issue
+func TestGetGitConfig_FallsBackToSystemScope(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	t.Setenv("HOME", tmpDir)
+	t.Setenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME", tmpDir+"/nonexistent")
+
+	// Create a git repo with a local config value
+	cmd := exec.Command("git", "init", tmpDir)
+	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+		t.Skip("git not installed, skipping")
+	}
+
+	cmd = exec.Command("git", "-C", tmpDir, "config", "user.localonly", "local-value")
+	require.NoError(t, cmd.Run())
+
+	// GetGitConfig should NOT find the local-only value because the fallback
+	// is --system, not bare git config.
+	value := GetGitConfig("user.localonly")
+	assert.Equal(t, "", value, "GetGitConfig should not fall back to local config; only global and system are checked")
+}