diff --git a/update.sh b/update.sh
index 96496c1..803d060 100755
--- a/update.sh
+++ b/update.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 # note: assumes pwd is this repo before running this script
 set -u
 
-# array of files [relative to home] to include
+# array of files/dirs [relative to home] to include
 DOTS=(
         '.vimrc'
         '.config/nvim/init.vim'
@@ -18,16 +18,14 @@ DOTS=(
 # to avoid hacky pwd/dirname stuff w/ $0 [for now?], inline the path to the repo where copies are held
 DOT_DIR="${HOME}/git/dot"
 
-# ensure the host running this script/updating dotfiles has a directory
-# ... then temporarily change into it for working, or exit. 
-# if it couldn't be made/entered [for whatever reason], we won't be able to copy.
-[ -d "$HOSTNAME" ] || mkdir -v "$HOSTNAME"
+# ensure the host running this script/updating dotfiles has a directory within the repo
+HOST_DIR="${DOT_DIR}/${HOSTNAME}"
+[ -d "$HOST_DIR" ] || mkdir -v "$HOST_DIR"
 
-# now that the host/working dir is managed, process the dotfiles
-# ensure their directory structure is retained, naively copy w/ rsync - relying on Git to tell us about changes
+# begin dotfile processing - ensure structure is retained, naively copy w/ rsync. rely on Git to tell us about changes.
 # TODO: reconsider, edge cases?
 for DOT in "${DOTS[@]}"; do
-        DEST="${DOT_DIR}/${HOSTNAME}/$DOT"
+        DEST="${HOST_DIR}/$DOT"
         echo "Copying '$HOME/$DOT' to '$DEST'"
         rsync -aqv "$HOME/$DOT" "$DEST" || echo "Couldn't copy '$DOT', got rc: $?"
 done