--- a/python/mozboot/mozboot/bootstrap.py
+++ b/python/mozboot/mozboot/bootstrap.py
@@ -542,10 +542,7 @@ def current_firefox_checkout(env, hg=None):
         if child == "":
             break
 
-    raise UserError(
-        "Could not identify the root directory of your checkout! "
-        "Are you running `mach bootstrap` in an hg or git clone?"
-    )
+    return ("local", os.getcwd())
 
 
 def update_git_tools(git, root_state_dir):
--- a/python/mozversioncontrol/mozversioncontrol/__init__.py
+++ b/python/mozversioncontrol/mozversioncontrol/__init__.py
@@ -672,6 +672,21 @@ class GitRepository(Repository):
         self._run("config", name, value)
 
 
+class LocalRepository(Repository):
+
+    def __init__(self, path):
+        super(LocalRepository, self).__init__(path, tool="true")
+
+    @property
+    def head_ref(self):
+        return ""
+
+    def get_tracked_files_finder(self):
+        files = [os.path.relpath(os.path.join(dp, f), self.path) for dp, dn, fn in os.walk(self.path) for f in fn]
+        files.sort()
+        return FileListFinder(files)
+
+
 def get_repository_object(path, hg="hg", git="git"):
     """Get a repository object for the repository at `path`.
     If `path` is not a known VCS repository, raise an exception.
@@ -681,7 +696,7 @@ def get_repository_object(path, hg="hg", git="git"):
     elif os.path.exists(os.path.join(path, ".git")):
         return GitRepository(path, git=git)
     else:
-        raise InvalidRepoPath("Unknown VCS, or not a source checkout: %s" % path)
+        return LocalRepository(path)
 
 
 def get_repository_from_build_config(config):
@@ -705,6 +720,8 @@ def get_repository_from_build_config(config):
         return HgRepository(config.topsrcdir, hg=config.substs["HG"])
     elif flavor == "git":
         return GitRepository(config.topsrcdir, git=config.substs["GIT"])
+    elif flavor == "local":
+        return LocalRepository(config.topsrcdir)
     else:
         raise MissingVCSInfo("unknown VCS_CHECKOUT_TYPE value: %s" % flavor)