diff --git a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/snapshot/base/MissingRepositoryException.java b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/snapshot/base/MissingRepositoryException.java
index b671a84d9c..c39f6c2481 100644
--- a/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/snapshot/base/MissingRepositoryException.java
+++ b/services/git-bridge/src/main/java/uk/ac/ic/wlgitbridge/snapshot/base/MissingRepositoryException.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public class MissingRepositoryException extends SnapshotAPIException {
 
     @Override
     public String getMessage() {
-        return String.join("\n", this.descriptionLines);
+        return "no git access";
     }
 
     @Override