diff --git a/git-codereview/api.go b/git-codereview/api.go
index ac61cba..6ab65b1 100644
--- a/git-codereview/api.go
+++ b/git-codereview/api.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 	}
 
 	// Gerrit must be set as Git's origin remote.
-	origin := getOutput("git", "config", "remote.origin.url")
+	origin := trim(cmdOutput("git", "config", "remote.origin.url"))
 
 	if strings.Contains(origin, "//github.com/") {
 		dief("git origin must be a Gerrit host, not GitHub: %s", origin)
@@ -84,10 +84,10 @@
 
 	// First look in Git's http.cookiefile, which is where Gerrit
 	// now tells users to store this information.
-	if cookieFile, _ := getOutputErr("git", "config", "http.cookiefile"); cookieFile != "" {
+	if cookieFile, _ := trimErr(cmdOutputErr("git", "config", "http.cookiefile")); cookieFile != "" {
 		data, _ := ioutil.ReadFile(cookieFile)
 		maxMatch := -1
-		for _, line := range strings.Split(string(data), "\n") {
+		for _, line := range lines(string(data)) {
 			f := strings.Split(line, "\t")
 			if len(f) >= 7 && (f[0] == auth.host || strings.HasPrefix(f[0], ".") && strings.HasSuffix(auth.host, f[0])) {
 				if len(f[0]) > maxMatch {
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
 	// used to tell users to store the information, until the passwords
 	// got so long that old versions of curl couldn't handle them.
 	data, _ := ioutil.ReadFile(os.Getenv("HOME") + "/.netrc")
-	for _, line := range strings.Split(string(data), "\n") {
+	for _, line := range lines(string(data)) {
 		if i := strings.Index(line, "#"); i >= 0 {
 			line = line[:i]
 		}
diff --git a/git-codereview/branch.go b/git-codereview/branch.go
index 2a69dcd..1193da9 100644
--- a/git-codereview/branch.go
+++ b/git-codereview/branch.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 
 // CurrentBranch returns the current branch.
 func CurrentBranch() *Branch {
-	name := getOutput("git", "rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD")
+	name := trim(cmdOutput("git", "rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD"))
 	return &Branch{Name: name}
 }
 
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@
 	b.loadedPending = true
 
 	// In case of early return.
-	b.branchpoint = getOutput("git", "rev-parse", "HEAD")
+	b.branchpoint = trim(cmdOutput("git", "rev-parse", "HEAD"))
 
 	if b.DetachedHead() {
 		return
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@
 	// Note: --topo-order means child first, then parent.
 	origin := b.OriginBranch()
 	const numField = 5
-	all := getOutput("git", "log", "--topo-order", "--format=format:%H%x00%h%x00%P%x00%B%x00%s%x00", origin+".."+b.Name, "--")
+	all := trim(cmdOutput("git", "log", "--topo-order", "--format=format:%H%x00%h%x00%P%x00%B%x00%s%x00", origin+".."+b.Name, "--"))
 	fields := strings.Split(all, "\x00")
 	if len(fields) < numField {
 		return // nothing pending
@@ -149,16 +149,16 @@
 			// even if we later see additional commits on a different branch leading down to
 			// a lower location on the same origin branch.
 			// Check c.Merge (the second parent) too, so we don't depend on the parent order.
-			if strings.Contains(getOutput("git", "branch", "-a", "--contains", c.Parent), " "+origin+"\n") {
+			if strings.Contains(cmdOutput("git", "branch", "-a", "--contains", c.Parent), " "+origin+"\n") {
 				foundMergeBranchpoint = true
 				b.branchpoint = c.Parent
 			}
-			if strings.Contains(getOutput("git", "branch", "-a", "--contains", c.Merge), " "+origin+"\n") {
+			if strings.Contains(cmdOutput("git", "branch", "-a", "--contains", c.Merge), " "+origin+"\n") {
 				foundMergeBranchpoint = true
 				b.branchpoint = c.Merge
 			}
 		}
-		for _, line := range strings.Split(c.Message, "\n") {
+		for _, line := range lines(c.Message) {
 			// Note: Keep going even if we find one, so that
 			// we take the last Change-Id line, just in case
 			// there is a commit message quoting another
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 	b.commitsAhead = len(b.pending)
-	b.commitsBehind = len(getOutput("git", "log", "--format=format:x", b.Name+".."+b.OriginBranch(), "--"))
+	b.commitsBehind = len(trim(cmdOutput("git", "log", "--format=format:x", b.Name+".."+b.OriginBranch(), "--")))
 }
 
 // Submitted reports whether some form of b's pending commit
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
 		return false
 	}
 	line := "Change-Id: " + id
-	out := getOutput("git", "log", "-n", "1", "-F", "--grep", line, b.Name+".."+b.OriginBranch(), "--")
+	out := cmdOutput("git", "log", "-n", "1", "-F", "--grep", line, b.Name+".."+b.OriginBranch(), "--")
 	return strings.Contains(out, line)
 }
 
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@
 
 // HasStagedChanges reports whether the working directory contains staged changes.
 func HasStagedChanges() bool {
-	for _, s := range getLines("git", "status", "-b", "--porcelain") {
+	for _, s := range nonBlankLines(cmdOutput("git", "status", "-b", "--porcelain")) {
 		if stagedRE.MatchString(s) {
 			return true
 		}
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@
 
 // HasUnstagedChanges reports whether the working directory contains unstaged changes.
 func HasUnstagedChanges() bool {
-	for _, s := range getLines("git", "status", "-b", "--porcelain") {
+	for _, s := range nonBlankLines(cmdOutput("git", "status", "-b", "--porcelain")) {
 		if unstagedRE.MatchString(s) {
 			return true
 		}
@@ -220,8 +220,7 @@
 // the files (or the from, to fields of a rename or copy) are quoted C strings.
 // For now, we expect the caller only shows these to the user, so these exceptions are okay.
 func LocalChanges() (staged, unstaged, untracked []string) {
-	// NOTE: Cannot use getLines, because it throws away leading spaces.
-	for _, s := range strings.Split(getOutput("git", "status", "-b", "--porcelain"), "\n") {
+	for _, s := range lines(cmdOutput("git", "status", "-b", "--porcelain")) {
 		if len(s) < 4 || s[2] != ' ' {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -245,7 +244,7 @@
 func LocalBranches() []*Branch {
 	var branches []*Branch
 	current := CurrentBranch()
-	for _, s := range getLines("git", "branch", "-q") {
+	for _, s := range nonBlankLines(cmdOutput("git", "branch", "-q")) {
 		s = strings.TrimSpace(s)
 		if strings.HasPrefix(s, "* ") {
 			// * marks current branch in output.
@@ -265,7 +264,7 @@
 
 func OriginBranches() []string {
 	var branches []string
-	for _, line := range getLines("git", "branch", "-a", "-q") {
+	for _, line := range nonBlankLines(cmdOutput("git", "branch", "-a", "-q")) {
 		line = strings.TrimSpace(line)
 		if i := strings.Index(line, " -> "); i >= 0 {
 			line = line[:i]
diff --git a/git-codereview/change.go b/git-codereview/change.go
index 2a66533..ae761cf 100644
--- a/git-codereview/change.go
+++ b/git-codereview/change.go
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@
 )
 
 func commitMessageOK() bool {
-	body := getOutput("git", "log", "--format=format:%B", "-n", "1")
+	body := cmdOutput("git", "log", "--format=format:%B", "-n", "1")
 	ok := true
 	if !messageRE.MatchString(body) {
 		fmt.Print(commitMessageWarning)
diff --git a/git-codereview/gofmt.go b/git-codereview/gofmt.go
index 28edf5d..937fbd6 100644
--- a/git-codereview/gofmt.go
+++ b/git-codereview/gofmt.go
@@ -120,15 +120,15 @@
 
 	// Find files modified in the index compared to the branchpoint.
 	branchpt := b.Branchpoint()
-	if strings.Contains(getOutput("git", "branch", "-r", "--contains", b.Name), "origin/") {
+	if strings.Contains(cmdOutput("git", "branch", "-r", "--contains", b.Name), "origin/") {
 		// This is a branch tag move, not an actual change.
 		// Use HEAD as branch point, so nothing will appear changed.
 		// We don't want to think about gofmt on already published
 		// commits.
 		branchpt = "HEAD"
 	}
-	indexFiles := addRoot(repo, filter(gofmtRequired, getLines("git", "diff", "--name-only", "--diff-filter=ACM", "--cached", branchpt, "--")))
-	localFiles := addRoot(repo, filter(gofmtRequired, getLines("git", "diff", "--name-only", "--diff-filter=ACM")))
+	indexFiles := addRoot(repo, filter(gofmtRequired, nonBlankLines(cmdOutput("git", "diff", "--name-only", "--diff-filter=ACM", "--cached", branchpt, "--"))))
+	localFiles := addRoot(repo, filter(gofmtRequired, nonBlankLines(cmdOutput("git", "diff", "--name-only", "--diff-filter=ACM"))))
 	localFilesMap := stringMap(localFiles)
 	isUnstaged := func(file string) bool {
 		return localFilesMap[file]
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@
 			}
 			args := []string{"checkout-index", "--temp", "--"}
 			args = append(args, needTemp[:n]...)
-			for _, line := range getLines("git", args...) {
+			for _, line := range nonBlankLines(cmdOutput("git", args...)) {
 				i := strings.Index(line, "\t")
 				if i < 0 {
 					continue
@@ -266,10 +266,7 @@
 	}
 
 	// Build file list.
-	files = strings.Split(stdout.String(), "\n")
-	if len(files) > 0 && files[len(files)-1] == "" {
-		files = files[:len(files)-1]
-	}
+	files = lines(stdout.String())
 
 	// Restage files that need to be restaged.
 	if flags&gofmtWrite != 0 {
@@ -288,7 +285,7 @@
 			run("git", add...)
 		}
 		if len(updateIndex) > 0 {
-			hashes := getLines("git", write...)
+			hashes := nonBlankLines(cmdOutput("git", write...))
 			if len(hashes) != len(write)-3 {
 				dief("git hash-object -w did not write expected number of objects")
 			}
diff --git a/git-codereview/mail.go b/git-codereview/mail.go
index c5ec7ce..a68cdea 100644
--- a/git-codereview/mail.go
+++ b/git-codereview/mail.go
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@
 		return
 	}
 	countByAddr := map[string]int{}
-	for _, line := range getLines("git", "log", "--format=format:%B") {
+	for _, line := range nonBlankLines(cmdOutput("git", "log", "--format=format:%B")) {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "Reviewed-by:") {
 			f := strings.Fields(line)
 			addr := f[len(f)-1]
diff --git a/git-codereview/pending.go b/git-codereview/pending.go
index 150d91f..1a58fe2 100644
--- a/git-codereview/pending.go
+++ b/git-codereview/pending.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 		b.staged, b.unstaged, b.untracked = LocalChanges()
 	}
 	for _, c := range b.Pending() {
-		c.committed = getLines("git", "diff", "--name-only", c.Parent, c.Hash, "--")
+		c.committed = nonBlankLines(cmdOutput("git", "diff", "--name-only", c.Parent, c.Hash, "--"))
 		if !pendingLocal {
 			c.g, c.gerr = b.GerritChange(c, "DETAILED_LABELS", "CURRENT_REVISION", "MESSAGES", "DETAILED_ACCOUNTS")
 		}
diff --git a/git-codereview/review.go b/git-codereview/review.go
index 5f4b890..b99aee5 100644
--- a/git-codereview/review.go
+++ b/git-codereview/review.go
@@ -191,13 +191,26 @@
 	return cmd.Run()
 }
 
-// getOutput runs the specified command and returns its combined standard
-// output and standard error outputs.
-// It dies on command errors.
-// NOTE: It should only be used to run commands that return information,
-// **not** commands that make any actual changes.
-func getOutput(command string, args ...string) string {
-	s, err := getOutputErr(command, args...)
+// cmdOutput runs the command line, returning its output.
+// If the command cannot be run or does not exit successfully,
+// cmdOutput dies.
+//
+// NOTE: cmdOutput must be used only to run commands that read state,
+// not for commands that make changes. Commands that make changes
+// should be run using runDirErr so that the -v and -n flags apply to them.
+func cmdOutput(command string, args ...string) string {
+	return cmdOutputDir(".", command, args...)
+}
+
+// cmdOutputDir runs the command line in dir, returning its output.
+// If the command cannot be run or does not exit successfully,
+// cmdOutput dies.
+//
+// NOTE: cmdOutput must be used only to run commands that read state,
+// not for commands that make changes. Commands that make changes
+// should be run using runDirErr so that the -v and -n flags apply to them.
+func cmdOutputDir(dir, command string, args ...string) string {
+	s, err := cmdOutputDirErr(dir, command, args...)
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(stderr(), "%v\n%s\n", commandString(command, args), s)
 		dief("%v", err)
@@ -205,9 +218,23 @@
 	return s
 }
 
-// Given a command and its arguments, getOutputErr returns the same
-// trimmed output as getOutput, but it returns any error instead of exiting.
-func getOutputErr(command string, args ...string) (string, error) {
+// cmdOutputErr runs the command line in dir, returning its output
+// and any error results.
+//
+// NOTE: cmdOutputErr must be used only to run commands that read state,
+// not for commands that make changes. Commands that make changes
+// should be run using runDirErr so that the -v and -n flags apply to them.
+func cmdOutputErr(command string, args ...string) (string, error) {
+	return cmdOutputDirErr(".", command, args...)
+}
+
+// cmdOutputDirErr runs the command line in dir, returning its output
+// and any error results.
+//
+// NOTE: cmdOutputDirErr must be used only to run commands that read state,
+// not for commands that make changes. Commands that make changes
+// should be run using runDirErr so that the -v and -n flags apply to them.
+func cmdOutputDirErr(dir, command string, args ...string) (string, error) {
 	// NOTE: We only show these non-state-modifying commands with -v -v.
 	// Otherwise things like 'git sync -v' show all our internal "find out about
 	// the git repo" commands, which is confusing if you are just trying to find
@@ -215,22 +242,44 @@
 	if *verbose > 1 {
 		fmt.Fprintln(stderr(), commandString(command, args))
 	}
-	b, err := exec.Command(command, args...).CombinedOutput()
-	return string(bytes.TrimSpace(b)), err
+	cmd := exec.Command(command, args...)
+	if dir != "." {
+		cmd.Dir = dir
+	}
+	b, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	return string(b), err
 }
 
-// getLines is like getOutput but it returns only non-empty output lines,
-// with leading and trailing spaces removed.
-// NOTE: It should only be used to run commands that return information,
-// **not** commands that make any actual changes.
-func getLines(command string, args ...string) []string {
-	var s []string
-	for _, l := range strings.Split(getOutput(command, args...), "\n") {
-		if len(strings.TrimSpace(l)) > 0 {
-			s = append(s, l)
+// trim is shorthand for strings.TrimSpace.
+func trim(text string) string {
+	return strings.TrimSpace(text)
+}
+
+// trimErr applies strings.TrimSpace to the result of cmdOutput(Dir)Err,
+// passing the error along unmodified.
+func trimErr(text string, err error) (string, error) {
+	return strings.TrimSpace(text), err
+}
+
+// lines returns the lines in text.
+func lines(text string) []string {
+	out := strings.Split(text, "\n")
+	// Split will include a "" after the last line. Remove it.
+	if n := len(out) - 1; n >= 0 && out[n] == "" {
+		out = out[:n]
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+// nonBlankLines returns the non-blank lines in text.
+func nonBlankLines(text string) []string {
+	var out []string
+	for _, s := range lines(text) {
+		if strings.TrimSpace(s) != "" {
+			out = append(out, s)
 		}
 	}
-	return s
+	return out
 }
 
 func commandString(command string, args []string) string {