diff --git a/makerepo.sh b/makerepo.sh
index 6a46600..4c47d0e 100755
--- a/makerepo.sh
+++ b/makerepo.sh
@@ -20,6 +20,14 @@ fedpkg prep || die "error while \`fedpkg prep\`"
 
 pushd NetworkManager-0.9.9.0
     git init .
+    # if you have a local clone of NetworkManager, symlink
+    # it as ../.git/local.
+    LOCAL_GIT="$(realpath ../.git/local/)"
+    if [[ -d "$LOCAL_GIT/" ]]; then
+        git remote add local "$LOCAL_GIT/"
+        git fetch local
+        git fetch local 'refs/remotes/origin/*:refs/remotes/origin/*'
+    fi
     git remote add origin git://anongit.freedesktop.org/NetworkManager/NetworkManager
     git commit --allow-empty -m '*** empty initial commit'  # useful, to rebase the following commit
     git add -f -A .