diff --git a/lua/diffs/commands.lua b/lua/diffs/commands.lua
index 22d0570..0944759 100644
--- a/lua/diffs/commands.lua
+++ b/lua/diffs/commands.lua
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ function M.gdiff(revision, vertical)
     return
   end
 
+  local repo_root = git.get_repo_root(filepath)
+
   local diff_buf = vim.api.nvim_create_buf(false, true)
   vim.api.nvim_buf_set_lines(diff_buf, 0, -1, false, diff_lines)
   vim.api.nvim_set_option_value('buftype', 'nofile', { buf = diff_buf })
@@ -77,6 +79,9 @@ function M.gdiff(revision, vertical)
   vim.api.nvim_set_option_value('modifiable', false, { buf = diff_buf })
   vim.api.nvim_set_option_value('filetype', 'diff', { buf = diff_buf })
   vim.api.nvim_buf_set_name(diff_buf, 'diffs://' .. revision .. ':' .. rel_path)
+  if repo_root then
+    vim.api.nvim_buf_set_var(diff_buf, 'diffs_repo_root', repo_root)
+  end
 
   vim.cmd(vertical and 'vsplit' or 'split')
   vim.api.nvim_win_set_buf(0, diff_buf)
@@ -154,6 +159,8 @@ function M.gdiff_file(filepath, opts)
     return
   end
 
+  local repo_root = git.get_repo_root(filepath)
+
   local diff_buf = vim.api.nvim_create_buf(false, true)
   vim.api.nvim_buf_set_lines(diff_buf, 0, -1, false, diff_lines)
   vim.api.nvim_set_option_value('buftype', 'nofile', { buf = diff_buf })
@@ -161,6 +168,9 @@ function M.gdiff_file(filepath, opts)
   vim.api.nvim_set_option_value('modifiable', false, { buf = diff_buf })
   vim.api.nvim_set_option_value('filetype', 'diff', { buf = diff_buf })
   vim.api.nvim_buf_set_name(diff_buf, 'diffs://' .. diff_label .. ':' .. rel_path)
+  if repo_root then
+    vim.api.nvim_buf_set_var(diff_buf, 'diffs_repo_root', repo_root)
+  end
 
   vim.cmd(opts.vertical and 'vsplit' or 'split')
   vim.api.nvim_win_set_buf(0, diff_buf)
@@ -205,6 +215,7 @@ function M.gdiff_section(repo_root, opts)
   vim.api.nvim_set_option_value('modifiable', false, { buf = diff_buf })
   vim.api.nvim_set_option_value('filetype', 'diff', { buf = diff_buf })
   vim.api.nvim_buf_set_name(diff_buf, 'diffs://' .. diff_label .. ':all')
+  vim.api.nvim_buf_set_var(diff_buf, 'diffs_repo_root', repo_root)
 
   vim.cmd(opts.vertical and 'vsplit' or 'split')
   vim.api.nvim_win_set_buf(0, diff_buf)
diff --git a/lua/diffs/parser.lua b/lua/diffs/parser.lua
index da3b291..528327b 100644
--- a/lua/diffs/parser.lua
+++ b/lua/diffs/parser.lua
@@ -14,8 +14,21 @@ local M = {}
 local dbg = require('diffs.log').dbg
 
 ---@param filename string
+---@param repo_root string?
 ---@return string?
-local function get_ft_from_filename(filename)
+local function get_ft_from_filename(filename, repo_root)
+  if repo_root then
+    local full_path = vim.fs.joinpath(repo_root, filename)
+    local buf = vim.fn.bufnr(full_path)
+    if buf ~= -1 then
+      local ft = vim.api.nvim_get_option_value('filetype', { buf = buf })
+      if ft and ft ~= '' then
+        dbg('filetype from existing buffer %d: %s', buf, ft)
+        return ft
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   local ft = vim.filetype.match({ filename = filename })
   if not ft then
     dbg('no filetype for: %s', filename)
@@ -39,10 +52,27 @@ local function get_lang_from_ft(ft)
   return nil
 end
 
+---@param bufnr integer
+---@return string?
+local function get_repo_root(bufnr)
+  local ok, repo_root = pcall(vim.api.nvim_buf_get_var, bufnr, 'diffs_repo_root')
+  if ok and repo_root then
+    return repo_root
+  end
+
+  local ok2, git_dir = pcall(vim.api.nvim_buf_get_var, bufnr, 'git_dir')
+  if ok2 and git_dir then
+    return vim.fn.fnamemodify(git_dir, ':h')
+  end
+
+  return nil
+end
+
 ---@param bufnr integer
 ---@return diffs.Hunk[]
 function M.parse_buffer(bufnr)
   local lines = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_lines(bufnr, 0, -1, false)
+  local repo_root = get_repo_root(bufnr)
   ---@type diffs.Hunk[]
   local hunks = {}
 
@@ -95,7 +125,7 @@ function M.parse_buffer(bufnr)
     if filename then
       flush_hunk()
       current_filename = filename
-      current_ft = get_ft_from_filename(filename)
+      current_ft = get_ft_from_filename(filename, repo_root)
       current_lang = current_ft and get_lang_from_ft(current_ft) or nil
       if current_lang then
         dbg('file: %s -> lang: %s', filename, current_lang)
diff --git a/spec/parser_spec.lua b/spec/parser_spec.lua
index 5323d09..e5e1dba 100644
--- a/spec/parser_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/parser_spec.lua
@@ -304,5 +304,60 @@ describe('parser', function()
       assert.are.equal(4, #hunks[1].lines)
       delete_buffer(bufnr)
     end)
+
+    it('uses filetype from existing buffer when available', function()
+      local repo_root = '/tmp/test-repo'
+      local file_path = repo_root .. '/build'
+
+      local file_buf = vim.api.nvim_create_buf(false, true)
+      vim.api.nvim_buf_set_name(file_buf, file_path)
+      vim.api.nvim_set_option_value('filetype', 'bash', { buf = file_buf })
+
+      local diff_buf = create_buffer({
+        'M build',
+        '@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@',
+        ' echo "hello"',
+        '+set -e',
+        ' echo "done"',
+      })
+      vim.api.nvim_buf_set_var(diff_buf, 'diffs_repo_root', repo_root)
+
+      local hunks = parser.parse_buffer(diff_buf)
+
+      assert.are.equal(1, #hunks)
+      assert.are.equal('build', hunks[1].filename)
+      assert.are.equal('bash', hunks[1].ft)
+
+      delete_buffer(file_buf)
+      delete_buffer(diff_buf)
+    end)
+
+    it('uses filetype from existing buffer via git_dir', function()
+      local git_dir = '/tmp/test-repo/.git'
+      local repo_root = '/tmp/test-repo'
+      local file_path = repo_root .. '/script'
+
+      local file_buf = vim.api.nvim_create_buf(false, true)
+      vim.api.nvim_buf_set_name(file_buf, file_path)
+      vim.api.nvim_set_option_value('filetype', 'python', { buf = file_buf })
+
+      local diff_buf = create_buffer({
+        'M script',
+        '@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@',
+        ' def main():',
+        '+    print("hi")',
+        '     pass',
+      })
+      vim.api.nvim_buf_set_var(diff_buf, 'git_dir', git_dir)
+
+      local hunks = parser.parse_buffer(diff_buf)
+
+      assert.are.equal(1, #hunks)
+      assert.are.equal('script', hunks[1].filename)
+      assert.are.equal('python', hunks[1].ft)
+
+      delete_buffer(file_buf)
+      delete_buffer(diff_buf)
+    end)
   end)
 end)