diff --git a/gbp/deb/git.py b/gbp/deb/git.py
index 23d3ee7e..f4c7eaf4 100644
--- a/gbp/deb/git.py
+++ b/gbp/deb/git.py
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ class DebianGitRepository(GitRepository):
                          '%(?P<R>([^%]|\\%))+'
                          '\)s')
 
-    def __init__(self, path):
-        super(DebianGitRepository, self).__init__(path)
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        super(DebianGitRepository, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
         self.pristine_tar = DebianPristineTar(self)
 
     def tree_drop_dirs(self, tree, dirs):
diff --git a/gbp/scripts/dch.py b/gbp/scripts/dch.py
index 59e920b1..18e86de7 100644
--- a/gbp/scripts/dch.py
+++ b/gbp/scripts/dch.py
@@ -423,8 +423,10 @@ def main(argv):
         return ExitCodes.parse_error
 
     try:
+        old_cwd = os.path.abspath(os.path.curdir)
         try:
-            repo = DebianGitRepository('.')
+            repo = DebianGitRepository('.', toplevel=False)
+            os.chdir(repo.path)
         except GitRepositoryError:
             raise GbpError("%s is not a git repository" % (os.path.abspath('.')))
 
@@ -566,6 +568,8 @@ def main(argv):
         if str(err):
             gbp.log.err(err)
         ret = 1
+    finally:
+        os.chdir(old_cwd)
     return ret
 
 
diff --git a/tests/11_test_dch_main.py b/tests/11_test_dch_main.py
index a9b2146a..58571687 100644
--- a/tests/11_test_dch_main.py
+++ b/tests/11_test_dch_main.py
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ def run_dch(self, dch_options=None):
             options.extend(dch_options)
         ret = dch.main(options)
         self.assertEqual(ret, 0)
-        return open("debian/changelog").readlines()
+        cl = os.path.join(self.repo.path, 'debian/changelog')
+        return open(cl).readlines()
 
     def test_dch_main_new_upstream_version(self):
         """Test dch.py like gbp dch script does: new upstream version"""
@@ -399,3 +400,7 @@ def test_dch_main_no_git_author(self):
         options = ["--no-git-author", '-S', '-a']
         lines = self.run_dch(options)
         self.assertNotIn("-- gbp test user", "\n".join(lines))
+
+    def test_dch_subdir(self):
+        os.chdir('debian/')
+        self.run_dch()