diff --git a/lib/installer.js b/lib/installer.js
index 4232965a..6c71a113 100644
--- a/lib/installer.js
+++ b/lib/installer.js
@@ -291,7 +291,21 @@ function installJulia(dest, versionInfo, version, arch) {
                 }
                 else {
                     // This is the more common path. Using .tar.gz is much faster
-                    yield exec.exec('powershell', ['-Command', `tar xf ${juliaDownloadPath} --strip-components=1 -C ${dest}`]);
+                    const tarInput = core.getInput('tar').trim();
+                    // const tar_path = tarInput ? tarInput : "$env:WINDIR/System32/tar" // TODO: delete this line
+                    if (tarInput) {
+                        // If the user provides the `tar` input, use that.
+                        yield exec.exec('powershell', ['-Command', `& "${tarInput}" xf ${juliaDownloadPath} --strip-components=1 -C ${dest}`]);
+                    }
+                    else {
+                        // Otherwise, on Windows, use the Windows system tar (not the Git Bash tar).
+                        // https://github.com/julia-actions/setup-julia/issues/205
+                        //
+                        // // don't use the Git bash provided tar. Issue #205
+                        yield exec.exec('powershell', ['-Command', `& "$env:WINDIR/System32/tar" xf ${juliaDownloadPath} --strip-components=1 -C ${dest}`]);
+                    }
+                    // const tar_command = `& "${tar_path}" xf "${juliaDownloadPath}" --strip-components=1 -C "${dest}"` // TODO: delete this line
+                    // core.debug(`tar_command: ${tar_command}`) // TODO: delete this line
                 }
                 return dest;
             case 'darwin':