diff --git a/extensions/git/src/git.ts b/extensions/git/src/git.ts
index 1d942588d49..b0b7c7b6002 100644
--- a/extensions/git/src/git.ts
+++ b/extensions/git/src/git.ts
@@ -905,7 +905,7 @@ export class Repository {
 	}
 
 	async buffer(object: string): Promise<Buffer> {
-		const child = this.stream(['show', object]);
+		const child = this.stream(['show', '--textconv', object]);
 
 		if (!child.stdout) {
 			return Promise.reject<Buffer>('Can\'t open file from git');
@@ -978,7 +978,7 @@ export class Repository {
 	}
 
 	async detectObjectType(object: string): Promise<{ mimetype: string, encoding?: string }> {
-		const child = await this.stream(['show', object]);
+		const child = await this.stream(['show', '--textconv', object]);
 		const buffer = await readBytes(child.stdout!, 4100);
 
 		try {