diff --git a/src/git.rs b/src/git.rs
index 8eada5c9b11..c8ff2905550 100644
--- a/src/git.rs
+++ b/src/git.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
+use anyhow::{anyhow, Context};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::io::Write;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+use std::process::Command;
 
 use swirl::PerformError;
 use tempfile::TempDir;
@@ -48,6 +51,45 @@ impl Credentials {
             }
         }
     }
+
+    /// Write the SSH key to a temporary file and return the path. The file is
+    /// deleted once the returned path is dropped.
+    ///
+    /// This function can be used when running `git push` instead of using the
+    /// `git2` crate for pushing commits to remote git servers.
+    ///
+    /// Note: On Linux this function creates the temporary file in `/dev/shm` to
+    /// avoid writing it to disk.
+    ///
+    /// # Errors
+    ///
+    /// - If non-SSH credentials are use, `Err` is returned.
+    /// - If creation of the temporary file fails, `Err` is returned.
+    ///
+    fn write_temporary_ssh_key(&self) -> anyhow::Result<tempfile::TempPath> {
+        let key = match self {
+            Credentials::Ssh { key } => key,
+            _ => return Err(anyhow!("SSH key not available")),
+        };
+
+        let dir = if cfg!(target_os = "linux") {
+            // When running on production, ensure the file is created in tmpfs and not persisted to disk
+            "/dev/shm".into()
+        } else {
+            // For other platforms, default to std::env::tempdir()
+            std::env::temp_dir()
+        };
+
+        let mut temp_key_file = tempfile::Builder::new()
+            .tempfile_in(dir)
+            .context("Failed to create temporary file")?;
+
+        temp_key_file
+            .write_all(key.as_bytes())
+            .context("Failed to write SSH key to temporary file")?;
+
+        Ok(temp_key_file.into_temp_path())
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
@@ -137,10 +179,9 @@ impl RepositoryConfig {
 }
 
 pub struct Repository {
-    /// bla
-    pub checkout_path: TempDir,
+    checkout_path: TempDir,
     repository: git2::Repository,
-    pub credentials: Credentials,
+    credentials: Credentials,
 }
 
 impl Repository {
@@ -346,4 +387,32 @@ impl Repository {
 
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    /// Runs the specified `git` command in the working directory of the local
+    /// crate index repository.
+    ///
+    /// This function also temporarily sets the `GIT_SSH_COMMAND` environment
+    /// variable to ensure that `git push` commands are able to succeed.
+    pub fn run_command(&self, command: &mut Command) -> Result<(), PerformError> {
+        let checkout_path = self.checkout_path.path();
+        command.current_dir(checkout_path);
+
+        let temp_key_path = self.credentials.write_temporary_ssh_key()?;
+        command.env(
+            "GIT_SSH_COMMAND",
+            format!(
+                "ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -i {}",
+                temp_key_path.display()
+            ),
+        );
+
+        let output = command.output()?;
+        if !output.status.success() {
+            let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr);
+            let message = format!("Running git command failed with: {}", stderr);
+            return Err(message.into());
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/worker/git.rs b/src/worker/git.rs
index f4ac6253932..33aa1ec67bf 100644
--- a/src/worker/git.rs
+++ b/src/worker/git.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 use crate::background_jobs::Environment;
-use crate::git::{Crate, Credentials};
+use crate::git::Crate;
 use crate::schema;
 use anyhow::Context;
 use chrono::Utc;
 use diesel::prelude::*;
 use std::fs::{self, OpenOptions};
-use std::io::prelude::*;
+use std::process::Command;
 use swirl::PerformError;
 
 #[swirl::background_job]
@@ -99,53 +99,18 @@ pub fn squash_index(env: &Environment) -> Result<(), PerformError> {
 
     // Shell out to git because libgit2 does not currently support push leases
 
-    let key = match &repo.credentials {
-        Credentials::Ssh { key } => key,
-        Credentials::Http { .. } => {
-            return Err(String::from("squash_index: Password auth not supported").into())
-        }
-        _ => return Err(String::from("squash_index: Could not determine credentials").into()),
-    };
-
-    // When running on production, ensure the file is created in tmpfs and not persisted to disk
-    #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
-    let mut temp_key_file = tempfile::Builder::new().tempfile_in("/dev/shm")?;
-
-    // For other platforms, default to std::env::tempdir()
-    #[cfg(not(target_os = "linux"))]
-    let mut temp_key_file = tempfile::Builder::new().tempfile()?;
-
-    temp_key_file.write_all(key.as_bytes())?;
-
-    let checkout_path = repo.checkout_path.path();
-    let output = std::process::Command::new("git")
-        .current_dir(checkout_path)
-        .env(
-            "GIT_SSH_COMMAND",
-            format!(
-                "ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new -i {}",
-                temp_key_file.path().display()
-            ),
-        )
-        .args(&[
-            "push",
-            // Both updates should succeed or fail together
-            "--atomic",
-            "origin",
-            // Overwrite master, but only if it server matches the expected value
-            &format!("--force-with-lease=refs/heads/master:{}", original_head),
-            // The new squashed commit is pushed to master
-            "HEAD:refs/heads/master",
-            // The previous value of HEAD is pushed to a snapshot branch
-            &format!("{}:refs/heads/snapshot-{}", original_head, now),
-        ])
-        .output()?;
-
-    if !output.status.success() {
-        let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr);
-        let message = format!("Running git command failed with: {}", stderr);
-        return Err(message.into());
-    }
+    repo.run_command(Command::new("git").args(&[
+        "push",
+        // Both updates should succeed or fail together
+        "--atomic",
+        "origin",
+        // Overwrite master, but only if it server matches the expected value
+        &format!("--force-with-lease=refs/heads/master:{}", original_head),
+        // The new squashed commit is pushed to master
+        "HEAD:refs/heads/master",
+        // The previous value of HEAD is pushed to a snapshot branch
+        &format!("{}:refs/heads/snapshot-{}", original_head, now),
+    ]))?;
 
     println!("The index has been successfully squashed.");