By using ':=' while setting IS_GIT it is expanded to 'yes' or 'no' at
that point (and not every time when $(IS_GIT) is referenced).
# repository), we let git append identification of the actual commit.
PACKAGE=notmuch
-IS_GIT=$(shell if [ -d ${srcdir}/.git -o -f ${srcdir}/.git ] ; then echo yes ; else echo no; fi)
+IS_GIT:=$(shell if [ -d ${srcdir}/.git -o -f ${srcdir}/.git ] ; then echo yes ; else echo no; fi)
ifeq ($(IS_GIT),yes)
DATE:=$(shell git --git-dir=${srcdir}/.git log --date=short -1 --pretty=format:%cd)