diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 4cc2d6d190..32bf333be6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ git-annex (6.20160809) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
   * Windows: Handle shebang in external special remote program.
   * Fix formatting of git-annex-smudge man page, and improve mdwn2man.
     Thanks, Jim Paris.
+  * examimekey: Allow being run in a git repo that is not initialized by
+    git-annex yet.
 
  -- Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>  Mon, 05 Sep 2016 11:51:49 -0400
 
diff --git a/Command/ExamineKey.hs b/Command/ExamineKey.hs
index 5f67587a8c..e14ac10b8e 100644
--- a/Command/ExamineKey.hs
+++ b/Command/ExamineKey.hs
@@ -12,11 +12,12 @@ import qualified Utility.Format
 import Command.Find (parseFormatOption, showFormatted, keyVars)
 
 cmd :: Command
-cmd = noCommit $ noMessages $ withGlobalOptions [jsonOption] $
-	command "examinekey" SectionPlumbing 
-		"prints information from a key"
-		(paramRepeating paramKey)
-		(batchable run (optional parseFormatOption))
+cmd = noCommit $ noMessages $ dontCheck repoExists $ 
+	withGlobalOptions [jsonOption] $
+		command "examinekey" SectionPlumbing 
+			"prints information from a key"
+			(paramRepeating paramKey)
+			(batchable run (optional parseFormatOption))
 
 run :: Maybe Utility.Format.Format -> String -> Annex Bool
 run format p = do