diff --git a/src/repository/api/ArcanistRepositoryAPI.php b/src/repository/api/ArcanistRepositoryAPI.php
index b27241ac..82f9fdcb 100644
--- a/src/repository/api/ArcanistRepositoryAPI.php
+++ b/src/repository/api/ArcanistRepositoryAPI.php
@@ -56,14 +56,6 @@ abstract class ArcanistRepositoryAPI {
         "any parent directory. Create an '.arcconfig' file to configure arc.");
     }
 
-    // check if we're in an svn working copy
-    list($err) = exec_manual('svn info');
-    if (!$err) {
-      $api = new ArcanistSubversionAPI($root);
-      $api->workingCopyIdentity = $working_copy;
-      return $api;
-    }
-
     if (Filesystem::pathExists($root.'/.hg')) {
       $api = new ArcanistMercurialAPI($root);
       $api->workingCopyIdentity = $working_copy;
@@ -83,6 +75,14 @@ abstract class ArcanistRepositoryAPI {
       return $api;
     }
 
+    // check if we're in an svn working copy
+    list($err) = exec_manual('svn info');
+    if (!$err) {
+      $api = new ArcanistSubversionAPI($root);
+      $api->workingCopyIdentity = $working_copy;
+      return $api;
+    }
+
     throw new ArcanistUsageException(
       "The current working directory is not part of a working copy for a ".
       "supported version control system (svn, git or mercurial).");