diff --git a/roles/mirror-workspace-git-repos/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/mirror-workspace-git-repos/tasks/main.yaml
index 052fac2f6..a5bff0c97 100644
--- a/roles/mirror-workspace-git-repos/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/mirror-workspace-git-repos/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 - name: Checkout local HEAD on remote
   command: "git checkout {{ item.1 }}"
   args:
-    chdir: "{{ zuul.executor.work_root }}/{{ item.0.src_dir }}"
+    chdir: "{{ ansible_user_dir }}/{{ item.0.src_dir }}"
   with_together:
     - "{{ zuul.projects }}"
     - "{{ statuses }}"