diff --git a/git_helpers b/git_helpers
index 9ccbf25..bfa0302 100755
--- a/git_helpers
+++ b/git_helpers
@@ -76,17 +76,15 @@ revert_to_commit_before_pull () {
 # this is done only once.
 clone_customer_repository () {
     local func="${FUNCNAME[0]}"
-    current_dir=${PWD##*/}
-    current_dir="./${current_dir:-/}"
-    if [ "$current_dir" = "./UpdateController" ]; then
-        if ! [[ -d ./workspace ]]; then
-            { mkdir -p ./workspace; }
+    if [ "$PWD" = "$working_directory" ]; then
+        if ! [[ -d $workspace_dir ]]; then
+            { mkdir -p ./$workspace_dir; }
         fi
         # check if the directory is empty. If so, clone the
         # customer repository
-        if ! find ./workspace -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 | read; then
+        if ! find ./$workspace_dir -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 | read; then
             log_debug "$func:${LINENO} cloning ${1} ..."
-            if { cd ./workspace ; }; then
+            if { cd ./$workspace_dir ; }; then
                 $(exec_git_command git clone "$1")
                 if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
                     log_debug "$func:${LINENO} cloning ${1} done"
@@ -97,10 +95,12 @@ clone_customer_repository () {
         else
             # the directory is not empty, so we assume the customer-repository
             # has been cloned alread
-            if ! [[ -d ./workspace/$customer_id ]]; then
-                local m="wrong repository: $(ls -d './workspace/*')"
+            if ! [[ -d ./${workspace_dir}/$customer_id ]]; then
+                local m="wrong repository: $(ls -d './${workspace_dir}/*')"
                 log_fatal "$func:${LINENO} $m"
             else
+                log_debug \
+                    "$func:${LINENO} ./${workspace_dir}/$customer_id exists"
                 return 0
             fi
         fi