diff --git a/hooks/pre-commit b/hooks/pre-commit
index e7198e91..1f5229e6 100755
--- a/hooks/pre-commit
+++ b/hooks/pre-commit
@@ -37,16 +37,9 @@ fi
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
 # check the syntax of included shell scripts
 
-basedir=`cd $(dirname $0)/.. && pwd`
-echo basedir: $basedir
-
-if [ $(basename $basedir) = ".git" ]; then
-    basedir=$(dirname $basedir)
-fi
-
 exitstatus=0
 # use bash to check that the syntax is correct
-for f in $basedir/fd-commit $basedir/jenkins-build $basedir/docs/*.sh $basedir/hooks/pre-commit; do
+for f in fd-commit jenkins-build docs/*.sh hooks/pre-commit; do
     if bash -n $f; then
         : # success! do nothing
     else