diff --git a/gclient_utils.py b/gclient_utils.py
index 39fb2f660..637b9959d 100644
--- a/gclient_utils.py
+++ b/gclient_utils.py
@@ -432,14 +432,17 @@ def PathDifference(root, subpath):
 
 
 def FindFileUpwards(filename, path=None):
-  """Search upwards from the a directory (default: current) to find a file."""
+  """Search upwards from the a directory (default: current) to find a file.
+  
+  Returns nearest upper-level directory with the passed in file.
+  """
   if not path:
     path = os.getcwd()
   path = os.path.realpath(path)
   while True:
     file_path = os.path.join(path, filename)
-    if os.path.isfile(file_path):
-      return file_path
+    if os.path.exists(file_path):
+      return path
     (new_path, _) = os.path.split(path)
     if new_path == path:
       return None
@@ -449,7 +452,7 @@ def FindFileUpwards(filename, path=None):
 def GetGClientRootAndEntries(path=None):
   """Returns the gclient root and the dict of entries."""
   config_file = '.gclient_entries'
-  config_path = FindFileUpwards(config_file, path)
+  config_path = os.path.join(FindFileUpwards(config_file, path), config_file)
 
   if not config_path:
     print "Can't find %s" % config_file
diff --git a/tests/trychange_unittest.py b/tests/trychange_unittest.py
index 7e9e3461b..12157fdc8 100755
--- a/tests/trychange_unittest.py
+++ b/tests/trychange_unittest.py
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ class SVNUnittest(TryChangeTestsBase):
     self.compareMembers(trychange.SVN, members)
 
   def testBasic(self):
+    trychange.os.path.abspath(self.fake_root).AndReturn(self.fake_root)
     trychange.scm.SVN.GetCheckoutRoot(self.fake_root).AndReturn(self.fake_root)
     trychange.scm.SVN.GenerateDiff(['foo.txt', 'bar.txt'],
                                    self.fake_root,
@@ -90,6 +91,7 @@ class GITUnittest(TryChangeTestsBase):
     self.compareMembers(trychange.GIT, members)
 
   def testBasic(self):
+    trychange.os.path.abspath(self.fake_root).AndReturn(self.fake_root)
     trychange.scm.GIT.GetCheckoutRoot(self.fake_root).AndReturn(self.fake_root)
     trychange.scm.GIT.GetUpstreamBranch(self.fake_root).AndReturn('somewhere')
     trychange.scm.GIT.GenerateDiff(self.fake_root,
diff --git a/trychange.py b/trychange.py
index 1a1a51047..d43dc2dc6 100755
--- a/trychange.py
+++ b/trychange.py
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class SCM(object):
   def __init__(self, options, path, file_list):
     items = path.split('@')
     assert len(items) <= 2
-    self.checkout_root = items[0]
+    self.checkout_root = os.path.abspath(items[0])
     items.append(None)
     self.diff_against = items[1]
     self.options = options
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class SCM(object):
     self.options.files = None
     self.codereview_settings = None
     self.codereview_settings_file = 'codereview.settings'
-    self.gclient_root = None
+    self.toplevel_root = None
 
   def GetFileNames(self):
     """Return the list of files in the diff."""
@@ -152,36 +152,32 @@ class SCM(object):
       if v and getattr(self.options, k) is None:
         setattr(self.options, k, v)
 
-  def _GclientStyleSettings(self):
-    """Find the root, assuming a gclient-style checkout."""
-    if not self.options.no_gclient and not self.options.root:
-      root = self.checkout_root
-      self.gclient_root = gclient_utils.FindGclientRoot(root)
-      if self.gclient_root:
-        logging.info('Found .gclient at %s' % self.gclient_root)
-        self.options.root = gclient_utils.PathDifference(self.gclient_root,
-                                                         root)
-
   def AutomagicalSettings(self):
     """Determines settings based on supported code review and checkout tools.
     """
-    self._GclientStyleSettings()
+    # Try to find gclient or repo root first.
+    if not self.options.no_search:
+      self.toplevel_root = gclient_utils.FindGclientRoot(self.checkout_root)
+      if self.toplevel_root:
+        logging.info('Found .gclient at %s' % self.toplevel_root)
+      else:
+        self.toplevel_root = gclient_utils.FindFileUpwards(
+            os.path.join('..', '.repo'), self.checkout_root)
+        if self.toplevel_root:
+          logging.info('Found .repo dir at %s'
+                       % os.path.dirname(self.toplevel_root))
+
+      if self.toplevel_root and not self.options.root:
+        assert os.path.abspath(self.toplevel_root) == self.toplevel_root
+        self.options.root = gclient_utils.PathDifference(self.toplevel_root,
+                                                         self.checkout_root)
+
     self._GclStyleSettings()
 
   def ReadRootFile(self, filename):
-    if not self.options.root:
-      filepath = os.path.join(self.checkout_root, filename)
-      if os.path.isfile(filepath):
-        logging.info('Found %s at %s' % (filename, self.checkout_root))
-        return gclient_utils.FileRead(filepath)
-      return None
-    cur = os.path.abspath(self.checkout_root)
-    if self.gclient_root:
-      root = os.path.abspath(self.gclient_root)
-    else:
-      root = gclient_utils.FindGclientRoot(cur)
-    if not root:
-      root = cur
+    cur = self.checkout_root
+    root = self.toplevel_root or self.checkout_root
+
     assert cur.startswith(root), (root, cur)
     while cur.startswith(root):
       filepath = os.path.join(cur, filename)
@@ -594,8 +590,9 @@ def TryChange(argv,
                         "given the diff will be against the upstream branch. "
                         "If @branch then the diff is branch..HEAD. "
                         "All edits must be checked in.")
-  group.add_option("--no_gclient", action="store_true",
-                   help="Disable automatic search for gclient checkout.")
+  group.add_option("--no_search", action="store_true",
+                   help=("Disable automatic search for gclient or repo "
+                        "checkout root."))
   group.add_option("-E", "--exclude", action="append",
                    default=['ChangeLog'], metavar='REGEXP',
                    help="Regexp patterns to exclude files. Default: %default")