diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 2e5db01..3be6f3a 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -9,12 +9,11 @@ require (
 	github.com/dsnet/compress v0.0.1 // indirect
 	github.com/fatih/color v1.12.0
 	github.com/frankban/quicktest v1.13.0 // indirect
-	github.com/gogo/protobuf v1.3.2
-	github.com/golang/protobuf v1.5.2
 	github.com/golang/snappy v0.0.4 // indirect
-	github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/v2 v2.5.0
+	github.com/google/go-cmp v0.5.6 // indirect
 	github.com/hashicorp/go-multierror v1.0.0
 	github.com/json-iterator/go v1.1.11
+	github.com/kr/text v0.2.0 // indirect
 	github.com/mattn/go-isatty v0.0.13 // indirect
 	github.com/mholt/archiver v3.1.1+incompatible
 	github.com/nwaples/rardecode v1.1.0 // indirect
@@ -31,9 +30,7 @@ require (
 	golang.org/x/mod v0.4.2
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20210630005230-0f9fa26af87c // indirect
 	golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20210615171337-6886f2dfbf5b // indirect
-	google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20210617175327-b9e0b3197ced
-	google.golang.org/grpc v1.38.0
-	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.26.0
+	gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20201130134442-10cb98267c6c // indirect
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.0-20210107192922-496545a6307b
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 07eb423..5bdb1aa 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ github.com/coreos/go-semver v0.3.0 h1:wkHLiw0WNATZnSG7epLsujiMCgPAc9xhjJ4tgnAxmf
 github.com/coreos/go-semver v0.3.0/go.mod h1:nnelYz7RCh+5ahJtPPxZlU+153eP4D4r3EedlOD2RNk=
 github.com/coreos/go-systemd/v22 v22.3.2/go.mod h1:Y58oyj3AT4RCenI/lSvhwexgC+NSVTIJ3seZv2GcEnc=
 github.com/cpuguy83/go-md2man/v2 v2.0.0/go.mod h1:maD7wRr/U5Z6m/iR4s+kqSMx2CaBsrgA7czyZG/E6dU=
+github.com/creack/pty v1.1.9/go.mod h1:oKZEueFk5CKHvIhNR5MUki03XCEU+Q6VDXinZuGJ33E=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.0/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 h1:vj9j/u1bqnvCEfJOwUhtlOARqs3+rkHYY13jYWTU97c=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
@@ -113,11 +114,8 @@ github.com/go-stack/stack v1.8.0/go.mod h1:v0f6uXyyMGvRgIKkXu+yp6POWl0qKG85gN/me
 github.com/go-task/slim-sprig v0.0.0-20210107165309-348f09dbbbc0/go.mod h1:fyg7847qk6SyHyPtNmDHnmrv/HOrqktSC+C9fM+CJOE=
 github.com/godbus/dbus/v5 v5.0.4/go.mod h1:xhWf0FNVPg57R7Z0UbKHbJfkEywrmjJnf7w5xrFpKfA=
 github.com/gogo/protobuf v1.1.1/go.mod h1:r8qH/GZQm5c6nD/R0oafs1akxWv10x8SbQlK7atdtwQ=
-github.com/gogo/protobuf v1.3.2 h1:Ov1cvc58UF3b5XjBnZv7+opcTcQFZebYjWzi34vdm4Q=
 github.com/gogo/protobuf v1.3.2/go.mod h1:P1XiOD3dCwIKUDQYPy72D8LYyHL2YPYrpS2s69NZV8Q=
 github.com/golang/glog v0.0.0-20160126235308-23def4e6c14b/go.mod h1:SBH7ygxi8pfUlaOkMMuAQtPIUF8ecWP5IEl/CR7VP2Q=
-github.com/golang/glog v0.0.0-20210429001901-424d2337a529 h1:2voWjNECnrZRbfwXxHB1/j8wa6xdKn85B5NzgVL/pTU=
-github.com/golang/glog v0.0.0-20210429001901-424d2337a529/go.mod h1:SBH7ygxi8pfUlaOkMMuAQtPIUF8ecWP5IEl/CR7VP2Q=
 github.com/golang/groupcache v0.0.0-20190702054246-869f871628b6/go.mod h1:cIg4eruTrX1D+g88fzRXU5OdNfaM+9IcxsU14FzY7Hc=
 github.com/golang/groupcache v0.0.0-20191227052852-215e87163ea7/go.mod h1:cIg4eruTrX1D+g88fzRXU5OdNfaM+9IcxsU14FzY7Hc=
 github.com/golang/groupcache v0.0.0-20200121045136-8c9f03a8e57e/go.mod h1:cIg4eruTrX1D+g88fzRXU5OdNfaM+9IcxsU14FzY7Hc=
@@ -184,10 +182,7 @@ github.com/google/uuid v1.1.2/go.mod h1:TIyPZe4MgqvfeYDBFedMoGGpEw/LqOeaOT+nhxU+
 github.com/googleapis/gax-go/v2 v2.0.4/go.mod h1:0Wqv26UfaUD9n4G6kQubkQ+KchISgw+vpHVxEJEs9eg=
 github.com/googleapis/gax-go/v2 v2.0.5/go.mod h1:DWXyrwAJ9X0FpwwEdw+IPEYBICEFu5mhpdKc/us6bOk=
 github.com/gopherjs/gopherjs v0.0.0-20181017120253-0766667cb4d1/go.mod h1:wJfORRmW1u3UXTncJ5qlYoELFm8eSnnEO6hX4iZ3EWY=
-github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway v1.16.0 h1:gmcG1KaJ57LophUzW0Hy8NmPhnMZb4M0+kPpLofRdBo=
 github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway v1.16.0/go.mod h1:BDjrQk3hbvj6Nolgz8mAMFbcEtjT1g+wF4CSlocrBnw=
-github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/v2 v2.5.0 h1:ajue7SzQMywqRjg2fK7dcpc0QhFGpTR2plWfV4EZWR4=
-github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/v2 v2.5.0/go.mod h1:r1hZAcvfFXuYmcKyCJI9wlyOPIZUJl6FCB8Cpca/NLE=
 github.com/hashicorp/consul/api v1.1.0/go.mod h1:VmuI/Lkw1nC05EYQWNKwWGbkg+FbDBtguAZLlVdkD9Q=
 github.com/hashicorp/consul/sdk v0.1.1/go.mod h1:VKf9jXwCTEY1QZP2MOLRhb5i/I/ssyNV1vwHyQBF0x8=
 github.com/hashicorp/errwrap v1.0.0 h1:hLrqtEDnRye3+sgx6z4qVLNuviH3MR5aQ0ykNJa/UYA=
@@ -243,8 +238,9 @@ github.com/kr/pretty v0.2.1/go.mod h1:ipq/a2n7PKx3OHsz4KJII5eveXtPO4qwEXGdVfWzfn
 github.com/kr/pty v1.1.1/go.mod h1:pFQYn66WHrOpPYNljwOMqo10TkYh1fy3cYio2l3bCsQ=
 github.com/kr/pty v1.1.4 h1:5Myjjh3JY/NaAi4IsUbHADytDyl1VE1Y9PXDlL+P/VQ=
 github.com/kr/pty v1.1.4/go.mod h1:pFQYn66WHrOpPYNljwOMqo10TkYh1fy3cYio2l3bCsQ=
-github.com/kr/text v0.1.0 h1:45sCR5RtlFHMR4UwH9sdQ5TC8v0qDQCHnXt+kaKSTVE=
 github.com/kr/text v0.1.0/go.mod h1:4Jbv+DJW3UT/LiOwJeYQe1efqtUx/iVham/4vfdArNI=
+github.com/kr/text v0.2.0 h1:5Nx0Ya0ZqY2ygV366QzturHI13Jq95ApcVaJBhpS+AY=
+github.com/kr/text v0.2.0/go.mod h1:eLer722TekiGuMkidMxC/pM04lWEeraHUUmBw8l2grE=
 github.com/magiconair/properties v1.8.5/go.mod h1:y3VJvCyxH9uVvJTWEGAELF3aiYNyPKd5NZ3oSwXrF60=
 github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.0.9/go.mod h1:9vuHe8Xs5qXnSaW/c/ABM9alt+Vo+STaOChaDxuIBZU=
 github.com/mattn/go-colorable v0.1.2/go.mod h1:U0ppj6V5qS13XJ6of8GYAs25YV2eR4EVcfRqFIhoBtE=
@@ -487,7 +483,6 @@ golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.0.0-20210218202405-ba52d332ba99/go.mod h1:KelEdhl1UZF7XfJ
 golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.0.0-20210220000619-9bb904979d93/go.mod h1:KelEdhl1UZF7XfJ4dDtk6s++YSgaE7mD/BuKKDLBl4A=
 golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.0.0-20210313182246-cd4f82c27b84/go.mod h1:KelEdhl1UZF7XfJ4dDtk6s++YSgaE7mD/BuKKDLBl4A=
 golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.0.0-20210402161424-2e8d93401602/go.mod h1:KelEdhl1UZF7XfJ4dDtk6s++YSgaE7mD/BuKKDLBl4A=
-golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.0.0-20210615190721-d04028783cf1/go.mod h1:KelEdhl1UZF7XfJ4dDtk6s++YSgaE7mD/BuKKDLBl4A=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20180314180146-1d60e4601c6f/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20181108010431-42b317875d0f/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20181221193216-37e7f081c4d4/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
@@ -627,7 +622,6 @@ golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20210105154028-b0ab187a4818/go.mod h1:emZCQorbCU4vsT4f
 golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20210106214847-113979e3529a/go.mod h1:emZCQorbCU4vsT4fOWvOPXz4eW1wZW4PmDk9uLelYpA=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.1.0/go.mod h1:xkSsbof2nBLbhDlRMhhhyNLN/zl3eTqcnHD5viDpcZ0=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.1.2/go.mod h1:o0xws9oXOQQZyjljx8fwUC0k7L1pTE6eaCbjGeHmOkk=
-golang.org/x/tools v0.1.3/go.mod h1:o0xws9oXOQQZyjljx8fwUC0k7L1pTE6eaCbjGeHmOkk=
 golang.org/x/xerrors v0.0.0-20190717185122-a985d3407aa7/go.mod h1:I/5z698sn9Ka8TeJc9MKroUUfqBBauWjQqLJ2OPfmY0=
 golang.org/x/xerrors v0.0.0-20191011141410-1b5146add898/go.mod h1:I/5z698sn9Ka8TeJc9MKroUUfqBBauWjQqLJ2OPfmY0=
 golang.org/x/xerrors v0.0.0-20191204190536-9bdfabe68543/go.mod h1:I/5z698sn9Ka8TeJc9MKroUUfqBBauWjQqLJ2OPfmY0=
@@ -703,8 +697,6 @@ google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20210310155132-4ce2db91004e/go.mod h1:FWY/as6D
 google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20210319143718-93e7006c17a6/go.mod h1:FWY/as6DDZQgahTzZj3fqbO1CbirC29ZNUFHwi0/+no=
 google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20210402141018-6c239bbf2bb1/go.mod h1:9lPAdzaEmUacj36I+k7YKbEc5CXzPIeORRgDAUOu28A=
 google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20210602131652-f16073e35f0c/go.mod h1:UODoCrxHCcBojKKwX1terBiRUaqAsFqJiF615XL43r0=
-google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20210617175327-b9e0b3197ced h1:c5geK1iMU3cDKtFrCVQIcjR3W+JOZMuhIyICMCTbtus=
-google.golang.org/genproto v0.0.0-20210617175327-b9e0b3197ced/go.mod h1:SzzZ/N+nwJDaO1kznhnlzqS8ocJICar6hYhVyhi++24=
 google.golang.org/grpc v1.19.0/go.mod h1:mqu4LbDTu4XGKhr4mRzUsmM4RtVoemTSY81AxZiDr8c=
 google.golang.org/grpc v1.20.1/go.mod h1:10oTOabMzJvdu6/UiuZezV6QK5dSlG84ov/aaiqXj38=
 google.golang.org/grpc v1.21.1/go.mod h1:oYelfM1adQP15Ek0mdvEgi9Df8B9CZIaU1084ijfRaM=
@@ -724,7 +716,6 @@ google.golang.org/grpc v1.34.0/go.mod h1:WotjhfgOW/POjDeRt8vscBtXq+2VjORFy659qA5
 google.golang.org/grpc v1.35.0/go.mod h1:qjiiYl8FncCW8feJPdyg3v6XW24KsRHe+dy9BAGRRjU=
 google.golang.org/grpc v1.36.0/go.mod h1:qjiiYl8FncCW8feJPdyg3v6XW24KsRHe+dy9BAGRRjU=
 google.golang.org/grpc v1.36.1/go.mod h1:qjiiYl8FncCW8feJPdyg3v6XW24KsRHe+dy9BAGRRjU=
-google.golang.org/grpc v1.38.0 h1:/9BgsAsa5nWe26HqOlvlgJnqBuktYOLCgjCPqsa56W0=
 google.golang.org/grpc v1.38.0/go.mod h1:NREThFqKR1f3iQ6oBuvc5LadQuXVGo9rkm5ZGrQdJfM=
 google.golang.org/protobuf v0.0.0-20200109180630-ec00e32a8dfd/go.mod h1:DFci5gLYBciE7Vtevhsrf46CRTquxDuWsQurQQe4oz8=
 google.golang.org/protobuf v0.0.0-20200221191635-4d8936d0db64/go.mod h1:kwYJMbMJ01Woi6D6+Kah6886xMZcty6N08ah7+eCXa0=
@@ -742,8 +733,9 @@ google.golang.org/protobuf v1.26.0/go.mod h1:9q0QmTI4eRPtz6boOQmLYwt+qCgq0jsYwAQ
 gopkg.in/alecthomas/kingpin.v2 v2.2.6/go.mod h1:FMv+mEhP44yOT+4EoQTLFTRgOQ1FBLkstjWtayDeSgw=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20180628173108-788fd7840127/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
-gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20190902080502-41f04d3bba15 h1:YR8cESwS4TdDjEe65xsg0ogRM/Nc3DYOhEAlW+xobZo=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20190902080502-41f04d3bba15/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
+gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20201130134442-10cb98267c6c h1:Hei/4ADfdWqJk1ZMxUNpqntNwaWcugrBjAiHlqqRiVk=
+gopkg.in/check.v1 v1.0.0-20201130134442-10cb98267c6c/go.mod h1:JHkPIbrfpd72SG/EVd6muEfDQjcINNoR0C8j2r3qZ4Q=
 gopkg.in/errgo.v2 v2.1.0/go.mod h1:hNsd1EY+bozCKY1Ytp96fpM3vjJbqLJn88ws8XvfDNI=
 gopkg.in/fsnotify.v1 v1.4.7/go.mod h1:Tz8NjZHkW78fSQdbUxIjBTcgA1z1m8ZHf0WmKUhAMys=
 gopkg.in/ini.v1 v1.62.0/go.mod h1:pNLf8WUiyNEtQjuu5G5vTm06TEv9tsIgeAvK8hOrP4k=
diff --git a/pkg/component/pluginmanager/git.go b/pkg/component/pluginmanager/git.go
index 31516da..4773297 100644
--- a/pkg/component/pluginmanager/git.go
+++ b/pkg/component/pluginmanager/git.go
@@ -16,14 +16,11 @@ package pluginmanager
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"fmt"
-	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
-	"github.com/mholt/archiver"
 	"github.com/storyicon/powerproto/pkg/util"
 
 	"github.com/storyicon/powerproto/pkg/util/command"
@@ -78,61 +75,50 @@ func ListGitTags(ctx context.Context, log logger.Logger, repo string) ([]string,
 	return append(malformed, wellFormed...), nil
 }
 
-// GithubArchive is github archive
-type GithubArchive struct {
+// GitRepository describes a local git repository
+type GitRepository struct {
 	uri       string
 	commit    string
 	workspace string
 }
 
-// GetGithubArchive is used to download github archive
-func GetGithubArchive(ctx context.Context, uri string, commitId string) (*GithubArchive, error) {
-	filename := fmt.Sprintf("%s.zip", commitId)
-	addr := fmt.Sprintf("%s/archive/%s", uri, filename)
-	req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodGet, addr, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, &ErrHTTPDownload{
-			Url: addr,
-			Err: err,
-		}
-	}
+func GetGitRepository(ctx context.Context, uri string, commitId string, log logger.Logger) (*GitRepository, error) {
 	workspace, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "")
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	resp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, &ErrHTTPDownload{
-			Url: addr,
-			Err: err,
-		}
-	}
-	zipFilePath := filepath.Join(workspace, filename)
-	if err := downloadFile(resp, zipFilePath); err != nil {
-		return nil, &ErrHTTPDownload{
-			Url:  addr,
-			Err:  err,
-			Code: resp.StatusCode,
-		}
-	}
-	zip := archiver.NewZip()
-	if err := zip.Unarchive(zipFilePath, workspace); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return &GithubArchive{
+
+	repo := GitRepository{
 		uri:       uri,
 		commit:    commitId,
 		workspace: workspace,
-	}, nil
+	}
+
+	// clone via the git command instead of using for example "go-git" so that the authentication is not our problem
+	_, err = command.Execute(ctx, log, workspace, "git", []string{
+		"clone", uri, repo.GetLocalDir(),
+	}, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	_, err = command.Execute(ctx, log, repo.GetLocalDir(), "git", []string{
+		"reset", "--hard", commitId,
+	}, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return &repo, nil
 }
 
-// GetLocalDir is used to get local dir of archive
-func (c *GithubArchive) GetLocalDir() string {
-	dir := path.Base(c.uri) + "-" + c.commit
-	return filepath.Join(c.workspace, dir)
+// GetLocalDir is used to get local dir of repo
+func (r *GitRepository) GetLocalDir() string {
+	dir := path.Base(r.uri) + "-" + r.commit
+	return filepath.Join(r.workspace, dir)
 }
 
 // Clear is used to clear the workspace
-func (c *GithubArchive) Clear() error {
-	return os.RemoveAll(c.workspace)
+func (r *GitRepository) Clear() error {
+	return os.RemoveAll(r.workspace)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/component/pluginmanager/manager.go b/pkg/component/pluginmanager/manager.go
index 571bf35..213fe02 100644
--- a/pkg/component/pluginmanager/manager.go
+++ b/pkg/component/pluginmanager/manager.go
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ func (b *BasicPluginManager) InstallGitRepo(ctx context.Context, uri string, com
 	if exists {
 		return local, nil
 	}
-	release, err := GetGithubArchive(ctx, uri, commitId)
+	release, err := GetGitRepository(ctx, uri, commitId, b.Logger)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}