diff --git a/tools/u_boot_pylib/gitutil.py b/tools/u_boot_pylib/gitutil.py
index e5a466c..f89576e 100644
--- a/tools/u_boot_pylib/gitutil.py
+++ b/tools/u_boot_pylib/gitutil.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
     return cmd
 
 
-def count_commits_to_branch(branch):
+def count_commits_to_branch(branch, git_dir=None, end=None):
     """Returns number of commits between HEAD and the tracking branch.
 
     This looks back to the tracking branch and works out the number of commits
@@ -55,16 +55,22 @@
 
     Args:
         branch (str or None): Branch to count from (None for current branch)
+        git_dir (str): Path to git repository (None to use default)
+        end (str): End commit to stop before
 
     Return:
         Number of patches that exist on top of the branch
     """
-    if branch:
-        us, _ = get_upstream('.git', branch)
+    if end:
+        rev_range = f'{end}..{branch}'
+    elif branch:
+        us, msg = get_upstream(git_dir or '.git', branch)
+        if not us:
+            raise ValueError(msg)
         rev_range = f'{us}..{branch}'
     else:
         rev_range = '@{upstream}..'
-    cmd = log_cmd(rev_range, oneline=True)
+    cmd = log_cmd(rev_range, git_dir=git_dir, oneline=True)
     result = command.run_one(*cmd, capture=True, capture_stderr=True,
                              oneline=True, raise_on_error=False)
     if result.return_code:
@@ -321,7 +327,8 @@
         raise OSError(f'git worktree prune: {result.stderr}')
 
 
-def create_patches(branch, start, count, ignore_binary, series, signoff=True):
+def create_patches(branch, start, count, ignore_binary, series, signoff=True,
+                   git_dir=None, cwd=None):
     """Create a series of patches from the top of the current branch.
 
     The patch files are written to the current directory using
@@ -334,11 +341,16 @@
         ignore_binary (bool): Don't generate patches for binary files
         series (Series): Series object for this series (set of patches)
         signoff (bool): True to add signoff lines automatically
+        git_dir (str): Path to git repository (None to use default)
+        cwd (str): Path to use for git operations
     Return:
         Filename of cover letter (None if none)
         List of filenames of patch files
     """
-    cmd = ['git', 'format-patch', '-M']
+    cmd = ['git']
+    if git_dir:
+        cmd += ['--git-dir', git_dir]
+    cmd += ['format-patch', '-M']
     if signoff:
         cmd.append('--signoff')
     if ignore_binary:
@@ -351,7 +363,7 @@
     brname = branch or 'HEAD'
     cmd += [f'{brname}~{start + count}..{brname}~{start}']
 
-    stdout = command.run_list(cmd)
+    stdout = command.run_list(cmd, cwd=cwd)
     files = stdout.splitlines()
 
     # We have an extra file if there is a cover letter
@@ -436,7 +448,7 @@
 
 def email_patches(series, cover_fname, args, dry_run, warn_on_error, cc_fname,
                   alias, self_only=False, in_reply_to=None, thread=False,
-                  smtp_server=None):
+                  smtp_server=None, cwd=None):
     """Email a patch series.
 
     Args:
@@ -456,6 +468,7 @@
         thread (bool): True to add --thread to git send-email (make
             all patches reply to cover-letter or first patch in series)
         smtp_server (str or None): SMTP server to use to send patches
+        cwd (str): Path to use for patch files (None to use current dir)
 
     Returns:
         Git command that was/would be run
@@ -528,7 +541,7 @@
         cmd.append(cover_fname)
     cmd += args
     if not dry_run:
-        command.run(*cmd, capture=False, capture_stderr=False)
+        command.run(*cmd, capture=False, capture_stderr=False, cwd=cwd)
     cmdstr = ' '.join([f'"{x}"' if ' ' in x and not '"' in x else x
                        for x in cmd])
     return cmdstr
@@ -695,7 +708,7 @@
                        .return_code == 0)
 
 
-def get_hash(spec):
+def get_hash(spec, git_dir=None):
     """Get the hash of a commit
 
     Args:
@@ -704,8 +717,11 @@
     Returns:
         str: Hash of commit
     """
-    return command.output_one_line('git', 'show', '-s', '--pretty=format:%H',
-                                   spec)
+    cmd = ['git']
+    if git_dir:
+        cmd += ['--git-dir', git_dir]
+    cmd += ['show', '-s', '--pretty=format:%H', spec]
+    return command.output_one_line(*cmd)
 
 
 def get_head():
@@ -717,13 +733,18 @@
     return get_hash('HEAD')
 
 
-def get_branch():
+def get_branch(git_dir=None):
     """Get the branch we are currently on
 
     Return:
         str: branch name, or None if none
+        git_dir (str): Path to git repository (None to use default)
     """
-    out = command.output_one_line('git', 'rev-parse', '--abbrev-ref', 'HEAD')
+    cmd = ['git']
+    if git_dir:
+        cmd += ['--git-dir', git_dir]
+    cmd += ['rev-parse', '--abbrev-ref', 'HEAD']
+    out = command.output_one_line(*cmd, raise_on_error=False)
     if out == 'HEAD':
         return None
     return out