diff --git a/lib/functions/buildFileList.sh b/lib/functions/buildFileList.sh
index 460298f6..a11af7cf 100755
--- a/lib/functions/buildFileList.sh
+++ b/lib/functions/buildFileList.sh
@@ -62,16 +62,39 @@ function BuildFileList() {
       ################
       # push event   #
       ################
+      DIFF_TREE_CMD="git diff-tree --no-commit-id --name-only -r ${GITHUB_SHA}"
+
       ################
       # print header #
       ################
       debug "----------------------------------------------"
-      debug "Generating Diff with:[git diff-tree --no-commit-id --name-only -r \"${GITHUB_SHA}\"]"
+      debug "Generating Diff with:[$DIFF_TREE_CMD]"
 
       #################################################
       # Get the Array of files changed in the commits #
       #################################################
-      mapfile -t RAW_FILE_ARRAY < <(git diff-tree --no-commit-id --name-only -r "${GITHUB_SHA}" 2>&1)
+      DIFF_TREE_CMD_OUTPUT=$($DIFF_TREE_CMD)
+
+      #######################
+      # Load the error code #
+      #######################
+      ERROR_CODE=$?
+
+      ##############################
+      # Check the shell for errors #
+      ##############################
+      if [ ${ERROR_CODE} -ne 0 ]; then
+        # Error
+        info "Failed to get Diff with:[$DIFF_TREE_CMD]"
+        info "Check that you have the full git history, the checkout is not shallow, etc"
+        info "See https://github.com/github/super-linter#example-connecting-github-action-workflow"
+        fatal "[${DIFF_TREE_CMD}]"
+      fi
+
+      ###################################################
+      # Map command output to an array to proper handle #
+      ###################################################
+      mapfile -t RAW_FILE_ARRAY < <(echo "$DIFF_TREE_CMD_OUTPUT")
 
       ###############################################################
       # Need to see if the array is empty, if so, try the other way #
@@ -83,12 +106,37 @@ function BuildFileList() {
         ################
         debug "----------------------------------------------"
         debug "WARN: Generation of File array with diff-tree produced [0] items, trying with git diff..."
-        debug "Generating Diff with:[git diff --name-only '${DEFAULT_BRANCH}...${GITHUB_SHA}' --diff-filter=d]"
+
+        DIFF_CMD="git -C ${GITHUB_WORKSPACE} diff --name-only ${DEFAULT_BRANCH}...${GITHUB_SHA} --diff-filter=d"
+
+        debug "----------------------------------------------"
+        debug "Generating Diff with:[$DIFF_CMD]"
 
         #################################################
         # Get the Array of files changed in the commits #
         #################################################
-        mapfile -t RAW_FILE_ARRAY < <(git -C "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}" diff --name-only "${DEFAULT_BRANCH}...${GITHUB_SHA}" --diff-filter=d 2>&1)
+        DIFF_CMD_OUTPUT=$($DIFF_CMD)
+
+        #######################
+        # Load the error code #
+        #######################
+        ERROR_CODE=$?
+
+        ##############################
+        # Check the shell for errors #
+        ##############################
+        if [ ${ERROR_CODE} -ne 0 ]; then
+          # Error
+          info "Failed to get Diff with:[$DIFF_CMD]"
+          info "Check that you have the full git history, the checkout is not shallow, etc"
+          info "See https://github.com/github/super-linter#example-connecting-github-action-workflow"
+          fatal "[${DIFF_CMD}]"
+        fi
+
+        ###################################################
+        # Map command output to an array to proper handle #
+        ###################################################
+        mapfile -t RAW_FILE_ARRAY < <(echo "$DIFF_CMD_OUTPUT")
       fi
     else
       ################
@@ -97,13 +145,34 @@ function BuildFileList() {
       ################
       # print header #
       ################
+      DIFF_CMD="git -C ${GITHUB_WORKSPACE} diff --name-only ${DEFAULT_BRANCH}...${GITHUB_SHA} --diff-filter=d"
+
       debug "----------------------------------------------"
-      debug "Generating Diff with:[git diff --name-only '${DEFAULT_BRANCH}...${GITHUB_SHA}' --diff-filter=d]"
+      debug "Generating Diff with:[$DIFF_CMD]"
 
       #################################################
       # Get the Array of files changed in the commits #
       #################################################
-      mapfile -t RAW_FILE_ARRAY < <(git -C "${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}" diff --name-only "${DEFAULT_BRANCH}...${GITHUB_SHA}" --diff-filter=d 2>&1)
+      DIFF_CMD_OUTPUT=$($DIFF_CMD)
+
+      #######################
+      # Load the error code #
+      #######################
+      ERROR_CODE=$?
+
+      ##############################
+      # Check the shell for errors #
+      ##############################
+      if [ ${ERROR_CODE} -ne 0 ]; then
+        # Error
+        info "Failed to get Diff with:[$DIFF_CMD]"
+        fatal "[${DIFF_CMD}]"
+      fi
+
+      ###################################################
+      # Map command output to an array to proper handle #
+      ###################################################
+      mapfile -t RAW_FILE_ARRAY < <(echo "$DIFF_CMD_OUTPUT")
     fi
   else
     WORKSPACE_PATH="${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}"