diff --git a/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/add/GitAddCommand.java b/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/add/GitAddCommand.java
index 21ad476..00da324 100644
--- a/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/add/GitAddCommand.java
+++ b/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/add/GitAddCommand.java
@@ -69,31 +69,12 @@
         {
             return result;
         }
-        
+
         // SCM-709: statusCommand uses repositoryRoot instead of workingDirectory, adjust it with relativeRepositoryPath
-        Commandline clRevparse = GitStatusCommand.createRevparseShowToplevelCommand( fileSet );
-        
-        CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer stdout = new CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer();
-        CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer stderr = new CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer();
+        URI relativeRepositoryPath = GitStatusCommand.getRelativeCWD( this, fileSet );
 
-        URI relativeRepositoryPath = null;
-        
         int exitCode;
-
-        exitCode = GitCommandLineUtils.execute( clRevparse, stdout, stderr, getLogger() );
-        if ( exitCode != 0 )
-        {
-            // git-status returns non-zero if nothing to do
-            if ( getLogger().isInfoEnabled() )
-            {
-                getLogger().info( "Could not resolve toplevel" );
-            }
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            relativeRepositoryPath =
-                GitStatusConsumer.resolveURI( stdout.getOutput().trim(), fileSet.getBasedir().toURI() );
-        }
+        CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer stderr;
 
         // git-add doesn't show single files, but only summary :/
         // so we must run git-status and consume the output
diff --git a/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/checkin/GitCheckInCommand.java b/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/checkin/GitCheckInCommand.java
index 1766aca..30d6c70 100644
--- a/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/checkin/GitCheckInCommand.java
+++ b/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/checkin/GitCheckInCommand.java
@@ -121,27 +121,7 @@
 
             // SCM-709: statusCommand uses repositoryRoot instead of workingDirectory, adjust it with
             // relativeRepositoryPath
-            Commandline clRevparse = GitStatusCommand.createRevparseShowToplevelCommand( fileSet );
-
-            stdout = new CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer();
-            stderr = new CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer();
-
-            URI relativeRepositoryPath = null;
-
-            exitCode = GitCommandLineUtils.execute( clRevparse, stdout, stderr, getLogger() );
-            if ( exitCode != 0 )
-            {
-                // git-status returns non-zero if nothing to do
-                if ( getLogger().isInfoEnabled() )
-                {
-                    getLogger().info( "Could not resolve toplevel" );
-                }
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                relativeRepositoryPath =
-                    GitStatusConsumer.resolveURI( stdout.getOutput().trim(), fileSet.getBasedir().toURI() );
-            }
+            URI relativeRepositoryPath = GitStatusCommand.getRelativeCWD( this, fileSet );
 
             // git-commit doesn't show single files, but only summary :/
             // so we must run git-status and consume the output
diff --git a/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/status/GitStatusCommand.java b/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/status/GitStatusCommand.java
index c6d8aba..694f862 100644
--- a/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/status/GitStatusCommand.java
+++ b/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/status/GitStatusCommand.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 import org.apache.maven.scm.ScmException;
 import org.apache.maven.scm.ScmFileSet;
+import org.apache.maven.scm.command.AbstractCommand;
 import org.apache.maven.scm.command.status.AbstractStatusCommand;
 import org.apache.maven.scm.command.status.StatusScmResult;
 import org.apache.maven.scm.provider.ScmProviderRepository;
@@ -44,29 +45,10 @@
     protected StatusScmResult executeStatusCommand( ScmProviderRepository repo, ScmFileSet fileSet )
         throws ScmException
     {
-        Commandline clRevparse = createRevparseShowToplevelCommand( fileSet );
-
-        CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer stdout = new CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer();
-        CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer stderr = new CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer();
-
-        URI relativeRepositoryPath = null;
-        
         int exitCode;
+        CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer stderr;
 
-        exitCode = GitCommandLineUtils.execute( clRevparse, stdout, stderr, getLogger() );
-        if ( exitCode != 0 )
-        {
-            // git-status returns non-zero if nothing to do
-            if ( getLogger().isInfoEnabled() )
-            {
-                getLogger().info( "Could not resolve toplevel" );
-            }
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            relativeRepositoryPath =
-                GitStatusConsumer.resolveURI( stdout.getOutput().trim(), fileSet.getBasedir().toURI() );
-        }
+        URI relativeRepositoryPath = getRelativeCWD( this, fileSet );
 
         Commandline cl = createCommandLine( (GitScmProviderRepository) repo, fileSet );
 
@@ -91,6 +73,40 @@
     //
     // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+    /**
+     * Get the dir relative to the repository root.
+     * 
+     * @param caller the caller command.
+     * @param fileSet in which subdir to execute.
+     * @return the relative URI.
+     * @throws ScmException if execute() fails.
+     */
+    public static URI getRelativeCWD( AbstractCommand caller, ScmFileSet fileSet )
+        throws ScmException
+    {
+        Commandline clRevparse = createRevparseShowPrefix( fileSet );
+
+        CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer stdout = new CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer();
+        CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer stderr = new CommandLineUtils.StringStreamConsumer();
+
+        URI relativeRepositoryPath = null;
+
+        int exitCode = GitCommandLineUtils.execute( clRevparse, stdout, stderr, caller.getLogger() );
+        if ( exitCode != 0 )
+        {
+            // git-status returns non-zero if nothing to do
+            if ( caller.getLogger().isInfoEnabled() )
+            {
+                caller.getLogger().info( "Could not resolve prefix" );
+            }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            relativeRepositoryPath = GitStatusConsumer.uriFromPath( stdout.getOutput().trim() );
+        }
+        return relativeRepositoryPath;
+    }
+
     public static Commandline createCommandLine( GitScmProviderRepository repository, ScmFileSet fileSet )
     {
         Commandline cl = GitCommandLineUtils.getBaseGitCommandLine( fileSet.getBasedir(), "status" );
@@ -98,10 +114,10 @@
         return cl;
     }
     
-    public static Commandline createRevparseShowToplevelCommand( ScmFileSet fileSet )
+    public static Commandline createRevparseShowPrefix( ScmFileSet fileSet )
     {
         Commandline cl = GitCommandLineUtils.getBaseGitCommandLine( fileSet.getBasedir(), "rev-parse" );
-        cl.addArguments( new String[] { "--show-toplevel" } );
+        cl.addArguments( new String[] { "--show-prefix" } );
         return cl;
     }
 }
diff --git a/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/status/GitStatusConsumer.java b/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/status/GitStatusConsumer.java
index 7d850da..8e06a4a 100644
--- a/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/status/GitStatusConsumer.java
+++ b/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/status/GitStatusConsumer.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.UnsupportedEncodingException;
 import java.net.URI;
+import java.net.URISyntaxException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.regex.Matcher;
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@
      * @param workingDirectory the working directory
      * @param relativeRepositoryPath the working directory relative to the repository root
      * @since 1.9
-     * @see GitStatusCommand#createRevparseShowToplevelCommand(org.apache.maven.scm.ScmFileSet)
+     * @see GitStatusCommand#createRevparseShowPrefix(org.apache.maven.scm.ScmFileSet)
      */
     public GitStatusConsumer( ScmLogger logger, File workingDirectory, URI relativeRepositoryPath )
     {
@@ -211,15 +212,7 @@
 
     private boolean isFile( String file )
     {
-        File targetFile;
-        if ( relativeRepositoryPath == null )
-        {
-            targetFile = new File( workingDirectory, file );
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            targetFile = new File( relativeRepositoryPath.getPath(), file );
-        }
+        File targetFile = new File( workingDirectory, file );
         return targetFile.isFile();
     }
 
@@ -248,9 +241,37 @@
         // When using URI.create, spaces need to be escaped but not the slashes, so we can't use
         // URLEncoder.encode( String, String )
         // new File( String ).toURI() results in an absolute URI while path is relative, so that can't be used either.
-        return path.relativize( URI.create( stripQuotes( fileEntry ).replace( " ", "%20" ) ) );
+        return path.relativize( uriFromPath( stripQuotes ( fileEntry ) ) );
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Create an URI whose getPath() returns the given path and getScheme() returns null. The path may contain spaces,
+     * colons, and other special characters.
+     * 
+     * @param path the path.
+     * @return the new URI
+     */
+    public static URI uriFromPath( String path )
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            if ( path != null && path.indexOf( ':' ) != -1 )
+            {
+                // prefixing the path so the part preceding the colon does not become the scheme
+                String tmp = new URI( null, null, "/x" + path, null ).toString().substring( 2 );
+                // the colon is not escaped by default
+                return new URI( tmp.replace( ":", "%3A" ) );
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                return new URI( null, null, path, null );
+            }
+        }
+        catch ( URISyntaxException x )
+        {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException( x.getMessage(), x );
+        }
+    }
 
     public List<ScmFile> getChangedFiles()
     {
diff --git a/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/status/GitStatusConsumerTest.java b/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/status/GitStatusConsumerTest.java
index 3b4d153..512d2ef 100644
--- a/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/status/GitStatusConsumerTest.java
+++ b/maven-scm-providers/maven-scm-providers-git/maven-scm-provider-gitexe/src/test/java/org/apache/maven/scm/provider/git/gitexe/command/status/GitStatusConsumerTest.java
@@ -187,15 +187,24 @@
         assertEquals("test file with spaces and a special \u007f character.xml", changedFiles.get( 0 ).getPath() );
     }
 
+    public void testURI()
+        throws Exception
+    {
+        String path = "Not%Scheme:/sub dir";
+        URI u = GitStatusConsumer.uriFromPath( path );
+        assertEquals( path, u.getPath() );
+    }
+
 	// SCM-740
 	public void testConsumerModifiedFileInComplexDirectorySetup() throws IOException {
 
 		File dir = createTempDirectory();
-		File subdir = new File( dir.getAbsolutePath() + "/subDirectory/" );
+		URI relativeCWD = URI.create( "" );
+		File subdir = new File( dir, "subDirectory" );
 		subdir.mkdir();
 		FileUtils.write( new File( subdir, "project.xml" ), "data" );
 
-		List<ScmFile> changedFiles = getChangedFiles( "M  subDirectory/project.xml", subdir, dir.toURI() );
+		List<ScmFile> changedFiles = getChangedFiles( "M  subDirectory/project.xml", dir, relativeCWD );
 
 		assertNotNull( changedFiles );
 		assertEquals( 1, changedFiles.size() );
@@ -203,7 +212,8 @@
 
         FileUtils.write( new File( subdir, "test file with spaces and a déjà vu character.xml" ), "data" );
 
-		changedFiles = getChangedFiles( "M  \"subDirectory/test file with spaces and a déjà vu character.xml\"", subdir, dir.toURI() );
+		changedFiles =
+			getChangedFiles( "M  \"subDirectory/test file with spaces and a déjà vu character.xml\"", dir, relativeCWD );
 
 		assertNotNull( changedFiles );
 		assertEquals( 1, changedFiles.size() );
@@ -215,11 +225,13 @@
 	public void testConsumerModifiedFileInComplexDirectoryWithSpaces() throws IOException {
 
 		File dir = createTempDirectory();
-		File subdir = new File( dir.getAbsolutePath() + "/sub Directory déjà vu special/" );
+		URI relativeCWD = URI.create( "" );
+		File subdir = new File( dir, "sub Directory déjà vu special" );
 		subdir.mkdir();
 		FileUtils.write( new File( subdir, "project.xml" ), "data" );
 
-		List<ScmFile> changedFiles = getChangedFiles( "M  \"sub Directory déjà vu special/project.xml\"", subdir, dir.toURI() );
+		List<ScmFile> changedFiles =
+			getChangedFiles( "M  \"sub Directory déjà vu special/project.xml\"", dir, relativeCWD );
 
 		assertNotNull( changedFiles );
 		assertEquals( 1, changedFiles.size() );
@@ -227,7 +239,9 @@
 
         FileUtils.write( new File( subdir, "test file with spaces and a déjà vu character.xml" ), "data" );
 
-		changedFiles = getChangedFiles( "M  \"sub Directory déjà vu special/test file with spaces and a déjà vu character.xml\"", subdir, dir.toURI() );
+		changedFiles =
+			getChangedFiles( "M  \"sub Directory déjà vu special/test file with spaces and a déjà vu character.xml\"",
+							dir, relativeCWD );
 
 		assertNotNull( changedFiles );
 		assertEquals( 1, changedFiles.size() );