diff --git a/doc/source/conf.py b/doc/source/conf.py
index 26117aa0..9be29ee6 100644
--- a/doc/source/conf.py
+++ b/doc/source/conf.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 import os
 import subprocess
 import sys
+import warnings
 
 import pbr.version
 
@@ -150,8 +151,12 @@ modindex_common_prefix = ['keystoneauth1.']
 # using the given strftime format.
 git_cmd = ["git", "log", "--pretty=format:'%ad, commit %h'", "--date=local",
            "-n1"]
-html_last_updated_fmt = subprocess.Popen(
-    git_cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[0]
+try:
+    html_last_updated_fmt = subprocess.Popen(
+        git_cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[0]
+except:
+    warnings.warn('Cannot get last updated time from git repository. '
+                  'Not setting "html_last_updated_fmt".')
 
 # If true, SmartyPants will be used to convert quotes and dashes to
 # typographically correct entities.