diff --git a/plinth/modules/gitweb/__init__.py b/plinth/modules/gitweb/__init__.py
index ead2bdc3b..0254ef98c 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/gitweb/__init__.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/gitweb/__init__.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from plinth.package import Packages
 
 from . import manifest, privileged
 from .forms import is_repo_url
-from .manifest import GIT_REPO_PATH
+from .manifest import GIT_REPO_PATH, REPO_DIR_OWNER
 
 _description = [
     _('Git is a distributed version-control system for tracking changes in '
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ def get_repo_list():
 
 def repo_info(repo):
     """Get information about repository."""
-    info = privileged.repo_info(repo)
+    info = privileged.repo_info(repo, _run_as_user=REPO_DIR_OWNER)
     if info['access'] == 'private':
         info['is_private'] = True
     else:
@@ -244,4 +244,5 @@ def edit_repo(form_initial, form_cleaned):
             privileged.set_repo_access(repo, 'public')
 
     if form_cleaned['default_branch'] != form_initial['default_branch']:
-        privileged.set_default_branch(repo, form_cleaned['default_branch'])
+        privileged.set_default_branch(repo, form_cleaned['default_branch'],
+                                      _run_as_user=REPO_DIR_OWNER)
diff --git a/plinth/modules/gitweb/forms.py b/plinth/modules/gitweb/forms.py
index 76ba8a314..b47ef9e5a 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/gitweb/forms.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/gitweb/forms.py
@@ -14,11 +14,12 @@ from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from plinth.modules import gitweb
 
 from . import privileged
+from .manifest import REPO_DIR_OWNER
 
 
 def _get_branches(repo):
     """Get all the branches in the repository."""
-    branch_data = privileged.get_branches(repo)
+    branch_data = privileged.get_branches(repo, _run_as_user=REPO_DIR_OWNER)
     default_branch = branch_data['default_branch']
     branches = branch_data['branches']
 
diff --git a/plinth/modules/gitweb/manifest.py b/plinth/modules/gitweb/manifest.py
index 92847f90d..cb83f8353 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/gitweb/manifest.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/gitweb/manifest.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 
 CONFIG_FILE = '/etc/gitweb-freedombox.conf'
 GIT_REPO_PATH = '/var/lib/git'
+REPO_DIR_OWNER = 'www-data'
 
 clients = [
     {
diff --git a/plinth/modules/gitweb/privileged.py b/plinth/modules/gitweb/privileged.py
index 3bb213eed..9717ff616 100644
--- a/plinth/modules/gitweb/privileged.py
+++ b/plinth/modules/gitweb/privileged.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ from typing import Any, Optional
 from plinth import action_utils
 from plinth.actions import privileged
 from plinth.modules.gitweb.forms import RepositoryValidator, get_name_from_url
-from plinth.modules.gitweb.manifest import GIT_REPO_PATH
+from plinth.modules.gitweb.manifest import GIT_REPO_PATH, REPO_DIR_OWNER
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -166,8 +166,9 @@ def _clone_repo(url: str, description: str, owner: str, keep_ownership: bool):
 
     shutil.rmtree(repo_temp_path)
     if not keep_ownership:
-        subprocess.check_call(['chown', '-R', 'www-data:www-data', repo],
-                              cwd=GIT_REPO_PATH)
+        subprocess.check_call(
+            ['chown', '-R', f'{REPO_DIR_OWNER}:{REPO_DIR_OWNER}', repo],
+            cwd=GIT_REPO_PATH)
 
     _set_repo_description(repo, description)
     _set_repo_owner(repo, owner)
@@ -180,8 +181,9 @@ def _create_repo(repo: str, description: str, owner: str, is_private: bool,
         subprocess.check_call(['git', 'init', '-q', '--bare', repo],
                               cwd=GIT_REPO_PATH)
         if not keep_ownership:
-            subprocess.check_call(['chown', '-R', 'www-data:www-data', repo],
-                                  cwd=GIT_REPO_PATH)
+            subprocess.check_call(
+                ['chown', '-R', f'{REPO_DIR_OWNER}:{REPO_DIR_OWNER}', repo],
+                cwd=GIT_REPO_PATH)
         _set_repo_description(repo, description)
         _set_repo_owner(repo, owner)
         if is_private: