diff --git a/GitRepo.hs b/GitRepo.hs
index cd2c80691b..fd69ec21ae 100644
--- a/GitRepo.hs
+++ b/GitRepo.hs
@@ -79,7 +79,10 @@ repoFromPath dir = newFrom $ Dir dir
 
 {- Remote Repo constructor. Throws exception on invalid url. -}
 repoFromUrl :: String -> Repo
-repoFromUrl url = newFrom $ Url $ fromJust $ parseURI url
+repoFromUrl url
+	| startswith "file://" url = repoFromPath $ uriPath u
+	| otherwise = newFrom $ Url u
+		where u = fromJust $ parseURI url
 
 {- User-visible description of a git repo. -}
 repoDescribe Repo { remoteName = Just name } = name
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 72ae91c02e..ac1ed0ab40 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+git-annex (0.03) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
+
+  * Fix support for file:// remotes.
+
+ -- Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org>  Thu, 28 Oct 2010 13:46:59 -0400
+
 git-annex (0.02) unstable; urgency=low
 
   * Can scp annexed files from remote hosts, and check remote hosts for