diff --git a/docs/source/overview.rst b/docs/source/overview.rst
index 3728c973..f066741d 100644
--- a/docs/source/overview.rst
+++ b/docs/source/overview.rst
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ recommended for optimal performance and extra features:
 * ``pygit2``
 * ``mercurial``
 * ``psutil``
+* ``git`` version 1.7.2 and later. Not needed if you have ``pygit2``.
 
 Installation
 ============
diff --git a/powerline/lib/vcs/git.py b/powerline/lib/vcs/git.py
index d44a69c9..d2dc8fc3 100644
--- a/powerline/lib/vcs/git.py
+++ b/powerline/lib/vcs/git.py
@@ -107,13 +107,9 @@ except ImportError:
 		def status(self, path=None):
 			if path:
 				try:
-					return next(self._gitcmd('status', '--porcelain', '--', path))[:2]
+					return next(self._gitcmd('status', '--porcelain', '--ignored', '--', path))[:2]
 				except StopIteration:
-					try:
-						next(self._gitcmd('ls-files', '--ignored', '--exclude-standard', '--others', '--', path))
-						return '!!'
-					except StopIteration:
-						return None
+					return None
 			else:
 				wt_column = ' '
 				index_column = ' '