diff --git a/util/git-hooks/install.sh b/util/git-hooks/install.sh
index d557c2f..fda0098 100755
--- a/util/git-hooks/install.sh
+++ b/util/git-hooks/install.sh
@@ -3,18 +3,28 @@
 root=$(git rev-parse --show-cdup 2>/dev/null) || \
      { echo "Not under git control. Cannot install git hooks." >&2 ; exit 0 ; }
 
-dst="${root}"$(git rev-parse --git-path hooks/)
+[ -z "${root}" ] || \
+     { echo "Not in root directory. Can only run from git root." >&2 ; exit 1 ; }
+
 src=util/git-hooks/ # relative to root
-hooks=$(cd "${root}${src}" && git ls-files -c | grep -Ev 'install.sh|wrapper.sh')
+hooks=$(cd "${src}" && git ls-files -c | grep -Ev 'install.sh|wrapper.sh')
+
+if [ "$(git rev-parse --git-path 2>/dev/null)" = "--git-path" ]; then
+	# very old git, we have to guess
+	dst=".git/hooks/"
+	rel="../../"
+else
+	dst=$(git rev-parse --git-path hooks/)
+	rel=$(git rev-parse --prefix "${dst}" --show-cdup)
+fi
 
 for h in $hooks; do
 	# Test if hook is not already installed, i.e. doesn't point at the wrapper
-	if [ ! "${dst}$h" -ef "${root}${src}wrapper.sh" ]; then
+	if [ ! "${dst}$h" -ef "${src}wrapper.sh" ]; then
 		# preserve custom hooks if any
 		if [ -e "${dst}$h" ]; then
 			mv "${dst}$h" "${dst}$h.local"
 		fi
-		ln -s "$(git rev-parse --prefix $(git rev-parse --git-path hooks/) --show-cdup)${src}wrapper.sh" \
-		      "${dst}$h"
+		ln -s "${rel}${src}wrapper.sh" "${dst}$h"
 	fi
 done