diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index ff7283c4..8bf23ab0 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -434,6 +434,11 @@ ENV RENOVATE_X_IGNORE_RE2="true"
 ENV VERSION_FILE="/action/linterVersions.txt"
 RUN mkdir /action
 
+# create the homedir, so that in case it is not present (like on action-runner-controller based selfhosted runners)
+# we do not fail at setting /github/workspace as a safe git directory
+ENV HOME="/github/home"
+RUN mkdir -p "${HOME}"
+
 ENTRYPOINT ["/action/lib/linter.sh"]
 
 FROM base_image AS slim
diff --git a/test/inspec/super-linter/controls/super_linter.rb b/test/inspec/super-linter/controls/super_linter.rb
index d72acd27..52f10989 100644
--- a/test/inspec/super-linter/controls/super_linter.rb
+++ b/test/inspec/super-linter/controls/super_linter.rb
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ control "super-linter-environment-variables" do
     its("content") { should match(/^(standard|slim)$/) }
   end
 
+  describe os_env("HOME") do
+    its("content") { should eq "/github/home" }
+  end
+
   describe os_env("RENOVATE_X_IGNORE_RE2") do
     its("content") { should eq "true" }
   end
@@ -437,6 +441,7 @@ control "super-linter-validate-directories" do
   desc "Check that directories that Super-Linter needs are installed."
 
   dirs = [
+    "/github/home",
     "/node_modules",
     "/action/lib",
     "/action/lib/functions",