diff --git a/pbpy/pbgit.py b/pbpy/pbgit.py
index 0f9d358..71ef7a4 100644
--- a/pbpy/pbgit.py
+++ b/pbpy/pbgit.py
@@ -159,7 +159,13 @@ def get_locked(key="ours", include_new=True):
     # also check untracked and added files
     if key == "ours" and include_new:
         proc = pbtools.run_with_combined_output(
-            [get_git_executable(), "status", "--porcelain", "-uall"]
+            [
+                get_git_executable(),
+                "--no-optional-locks",
+                "status",
+                "--porcelain",
+                "-uall",
+            ]
         )
         if not proc.returncode:
             for line in proc.stdout.splitlines():
@@ -394,7 +400,9 @@ def get_credentials(repo_str=None):
 
 
 def get_modified_files(paths=True):
-    proc = pbtools.run_with_output([get_git_executable(), "status", "--porcelain"])
+    proc = pbtools.run_with_output(
+        [get_git_executable(), "--no-optional-locks", "status", "--porcelain"]
+    )
     if paths:
         return {Path(line[3:]) for line in proc.stdout.splitlines()}
     return {line[3:] for line in proc.stdout.splitlines()}
diff --git a/pbsync/__main__.py b/pbsync/__main__.py
index 3dd8785..fe363de 100644
--- a/pbsync/__main__.py
+++ b/pbsync/__main__.py
@@ -517,15 +517,6 @@ def sync_handler(sync_val: str, repository_val=None):
         symbols_needed = pbunreal.is_versionator_symbols_enabled()
         pbunreal.clean_binaries_folder(not symbols_needed)
 
-        configured_branches = pbconfig.get("branches")
-        should_unlock_unmodified = (
-            pbgit.get_current_branch_name() in configured_branches
-        )
-        fix_attr_thread = threading.Thread(
-            target=pbgit.fix_lfs_ro_attr, args=(should_unlock_unmodified,)
-        )
-        fix_attr_thread.start()
-
         pblog.info("------------------")
 
         pblog.info("Checking for engine updates...")
@@ -535,6 +526,15 @@ def sync_handler(sync_val: str, repository_val=None):
                 f"Something went wrong while updating the uproject file. Please request help in {pbconfig.get('support_channel')}."
             )
 
+        configured_branches = pbconfig.get("branches")
+        should_unlock_unmodified = (
+            pbgit.get_current_branch_name() in configured_branches
+        )
+        fix_attr_thread = threading.Thread(
+            target=pbgit.fix_lfs_ro_attr, args=(should_unlock_unmodified,)
+        )
+        fix_attr_thread.start()
+
         engine_version = pbunreal.get_engine_version_with_prefix()
         if engine_version is not None:
             pblog.info(