diff --git a/powerline/lib/vcs/git.py b/powerline/lib/vcs/git.py
index 3bf60562..27a1e71a 100644
--- a/powerline/lib/vcs/git.py
+++ b/powerline/lib/vcs/git.py
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ def git_directory(directory):
 			if not raw.startswith(b'gitdir: '):
 				raise IOError('invalid gitfile format')
 			raw = raw[8:].decode(sys.getfilesystemencoding() or 'utf-8')
+			if raw[-1] == '\n':
+				raw = raw[:-1]
 			if not raw:
 				raise IOError('no path in gitfile')
 			return os.path.abspath(os.path.join(directory, raw))
@@ -78,9 +80,10 @@ class GitRepository(object):
 		return self.do_status(self.directory, path)
 
 	def branch(self):
-		head = os.path.join(git_directory(self.directory), 'HEAD')
+		directory = git_directory(self.directory)
+		head = os.path.join(directory, 'HEAD')
 		return get_branch_name(
-			directory=self.directory,
+			directory=directory,
 			config_file=head,
 			get_func=branch_name_from_config_file,
 			create_watcher=self.create_watcher,
diff --git a/tests/test_lib.py b/tests/test_lib.py
index 0bbae4e4..c69d97b6 100644
--- a/tests/test_lib.py
+++ b/tests/test_lib.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from powerline.lib.vcs import guess, get_fallback_create_watcher
 from powerline.lib.threaded import ThreadedSegment, KwThreadedSegment
 from powerline.lib.monotonic import monotonic
 from powerline.lib.file_watcher import create_file_watcher, INotifyError
+from powerline.lib.vcs.git import git_directory
 from powerline import get_fallback_logger
 import threading
 import os
@@ -508,18 +509,34 @@ class TestVCS(TestCase):
 		os.remove(os.path.join(GIT_REPO, 'file'))
 		# Test changing branch
 		self.assertEqual(repo.branch(), 'master')
-		call(['git', 'branch', 'branch1'], cwd=GIT_REPO)
-		call(['git', 'checkout', '-q', 'branch1'], cwd=GIT_REPO)
-		self.do_branch_rename_test(repo, 'branch1')
-		# For some reason the rest of this test fails on travis and only on
-		# travis, and I can't figure out why
-		if 'TRAVIS' in os.environ:
-			raise SkipTest('Part of this test fails on Travis for unknown reasons')
-		call(['git', 'branch', 'branch2'], cwd=GIT_REPO)
-		call(['git', 'checkout', '-q', 'branch2'], cwd=GIT_REPO)
-		self.do_branch_rename_test(repo, 'branch2')
-		call(['git', 'checkout', '-q', '--detach', 'branch1'], cwd=GIT_REPO)
-		self.do_branch_rename_test(repo, lambda b: re.match(r'^[a-f0-9]+$', b))
+		try:
+			call(['git', 'branch', 'branch1'], cwd=GIT_REPO)
+			call(['git', 'checkout', '-q', 'branch1'], cwd=GIT_REPO)
+			self.do_branch_rename_test(repo, 'branch1')
+			call(['git', 'branch', 'branch2'], cwd=GIT_REPO)
+			call(['git', 'checkout', '-q', 'branch2'], cwd=GIT_REPO)
+			self.do_branch_rename_test(repo, 'branch2')
+			call(['git', 'checkout', '-q', '--detach', 'branch1'], cwd=GIT_REPO)
+			self.do_branch_rename_test(repo, lambda b: re.match(br'^[a-f0-9]+$', b))
+		finally:
+			call(['git', 'checkout', '-q', 'master'], cwd=GIT_REPO)
+
+	def test_git_sym(self):
+		create_watcher = get_fallback_create_watcher()
+		dotgit = os.path.join(GIT_REPO, '.git')
+		spacegit = os.path.join(GIT_REPO, ' .git ')
+		os.rename(dotgit, spacegit)
+		try:
+			with open(dotgit, 'w') as F:
+				F.write('gitdir:  .git \n')
+			gitdir = git_directory(GIT_REPO)
+			self.assertTrue(os.path.isdir(gitdir))
+			self.assertEqual(gitdir, os.path.abspath(spacegit))
+			repo = guess(path=GIT_REPO, create_watcher=create_watcher)
+			self.assertEqual(repo.branch(), 'master')
+		finally:
+			os.remove(dotgit)
+			os.rename(spacegit, dotgit)
 
 	if use_mercurial:
 		def test_mercurial(self):