diff --git a/init-po-files b/init-po-files
index 756943a..51cefc1 100755
--- a/init-po-files
+++ b/init-po-files
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-source `dirname $0`/ths-variables
+source "`dirname $0`/ths-variables"
 source $THS
 
 if [ "$1" = "--help" ] || [ "$1" = "-h" ]; then
@@ -29,10 +29,12 @@ else
     messages="$potrunk"
     pot="$pottrunk"
 fi
+
+wdir="`pwd`"
 cd $pot
 for dir in `ls`; do
-    cd $dir
-    podir="../../$messages/$dir"
+    cd "$dir"
+    podir="$wdir/$messages/$dir"
     if [ ! -e "$podir" ]; then
         mkdir "$podir"
         svn add "$podir"
diff --git a/poupdate b/poupdate
index c7b4b38..a6fdade 100755
--- a/poupdate
+++ b/poupdate
@@ -101,17 +101,17 @@ fi
 ## MAIN LOOP
 for updfile in $newtrans
 do
-if [ `cd $tpl_tree; find ${updfile}t  2> /dev/null | wc -l` -gt 1 ]; then
+if [ `cd "$tpl_tree"; find ${updfile}t  2> /dev/null | wc -l` -gt 1 ]; then
 	if [ "$option_verbose" = "Y" ]; then
 		echo
-		echo "Strange, there is more than one template for `basename $updfile`,"
+		echo "Strange, there is more than one template for `basename "$updfile"`,"
 		echo "cannot determine the right one,"
 		echo "SKIPPING..."
 	fi
 	continue 
 fi
 
-if [ `cd $tpl_tree; find ${updfile}  2> /dev/null | wc -l` -gt 1 ]; then
+if [ `cd "$tpl_tree"; find ${updfile}  2> /dev/null | wc -l` -gt 1 ]; then
 	if [ "$option_verbose" = "Y" ]; then
 		echo
 		echo "Strange, there is more than one version of translation `basename $updfile`,"
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ fi
 if [ `cd $tpl_tree; find ${updfile}t  2> /dev/null | wc -l` -lt 1 ]; then
 	if [ "$option_verbose" = "Y" ]; then
 		echo
-		echo "File `basename $updfile` does not belong to this translation project,"
+		echo "File `basename "$updfile"` does not belong to this translation project,"
 		echo "SKIPPING..."
 		find ${updfile}t -print
 	fi
@@ -135,20 +135,20 @@ if [ `cd $tpl_tree; find ${updfile}t  2> /dev/null | wc -l` -lt 1 ]; then
 
 fi
 
-if [  `cd $tra_tree; find ${updfile}  2> /dev/null | wc -l` -lt 1  ]; then
+if [  `cd "$tra_tree"; find ${updfile}  2> /dev/null | wc -l` -lt 1 ]; then
 	echo
 	echo "File `basename $updfile` is completely newly translated,"
 	echo "COPYING it to the appropriate place..."
 	#finding the appropriate
-	tplfile=`cd $tpl_tree; find ${updfile}t`
-	secdir=`dirname $tplfile`
-	cp $upd_dir/$updfile $tra_tree/$secdir/$updfile
+	tplfile=`cd "$tpl_tree"; find ${updfile}t`
+	secdir=`dirname "$tplfile"`
+	cp "$upd_dir/$updfile" "$tra_tree/$secdir/$updfile"
 fi
 
 # perform msgmerge and other actions
-	trafile=`cd $tra_tree; find $updfile`
-	tplfile=`cd $tpl_tree; find ${updfile}t`
-	mv $tra_tree/$trafile $tra_tree/${trafile}.old
+trafile=`cd "$tra_tree"; find "$updfile"`
+tplfile=`cd "$tpl_tree"; find "${updfile}t"`
+mv "$tra_tree/$trafile" "$tra_tree/${trafile}.old"
 
 if [ ! "$option_new_as_secondary" = "Y" ]; then
 	if [ "$option_verbose" = "Y" ]; then