diff --git a/etc/paludis/hooks/set_portdir.bash b/etc/paludis/hooks/set_portdir.bash
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ee3b08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/paludis/hooks/set_portdir.bash
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# set PORTDIR
+
+PORTDIR="$(cave print-repository-metadata --raw-name location gentoo)"
+PORTDIR="${PORTDIR#location=}"
+
+if [[ -z ${PORTDIR} || "$(dirname ${PORTDIR})" == "/" ]] ; then
+	die "PORTDIR empty or pointing to root!"
+elif [[ ! -e ${PORTDIR} ]] ; then
+	die "PORTDIR does not exist!"
+fi
diff --git a/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_cache.bash b/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_cache.bash
index f8b4acc..0ef6025 100644
--- a/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_cache.bash
+++ b/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_cache.bash
@@ -2,10 +2,7 @@
 
 source "${PALUDIS_EBUILD_DIR}/echo_functions.bash"
 source "${PALUDIS_EBUILD_DIR}/die_functions.bash"
-
-PORTDIR="/usr/portage"
-
-[[ -z ${PORTDIR} || "$(dirname ${PORTDIR})" == "/" ]] && die "PORTDIR empty or pointing to root!"
+source "/etc/paludis/hooks/set_portdir.bash"
 
 
 einfo "syncing metadata cache"
diff --git a/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_dtd.bash b/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_dtd.bash
index 55b0867..8167604 100644
--- a/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_dtd.bash
+++ b/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_dtd.bash
@@ -2,10 +2,7 @@
 
 source "${PALUDIS_EBUILD_DIR}/echo_functions.bash"
 source "${PALUDIS_EBUILD_DIR}/die_functions.bash"
-
-PORTDIR="/usr/portage"
-
-[[ -z ${PORTDIR} || "$(dirname ${PORTDIR})" == "/" ]] && die "PORTDIR empty or pointing to root!"
+source "/etc/paludis/hooks/set_portdir.bash"
 
 
 cd "${PORTDIR}"/metadata || die "could not cd into '${PORTDIR}/metadata'!"
diff --git a/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_glsa.bash b/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_glsa.bash
index 49b4961..7035d74 100644
--- a/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_glsa.bash
+++ b/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_glsa.bash
@@ -2,10 +2,7 @@
 
 source "${PALUDIS_EBUILD_DIR}/echo_functions.bash"
 source "${PALUDIS_EBUILD_DIR}/die_functions.bash"
-
-PORTDIR="/usr/portage"
-
-[[ -z ${PORTDIR} || "$(dirname ${PORTDIR})" == "/" ]] && die "PORTDIR empty or pointing to root!"
+source "/etc/paludis/hooks/set_portdir.bash"
 
 
 cd "${PORTDIR}"/metadata || die "could not cd into '${PORTDIR}/metadata'!"
diff --git a/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_herds_xml.bash b/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_herds_xml.bash
index f6b5492..d89fef8 100644
--- a/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_herds_xml.bash
+++ b/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_herds_xml.bash
@@ -2,10 +2,7 @@
 
 source "${PALUDIS_EBUILD_DIR}/echo_functions.bash"
 source "${PALUDIS_EBUILD_DIR}/die_functions.bash"
-
-PORTDIR="/usr/portage"
-
-[[ -z ${PORTDIR} || "$(dirname ${PORTDIR})" == "/" ]] && die "PORTDIR empty or pointing to root!"
+source "/etc/paludis/hooks/set_portdir.bash"
 
 
 cd "${PORTDIR}"/metadata || die "could not cd into '${PORTDIR}/metadata'!"
diff --git a/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_news.bash b/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_news.bash
index f46f8c0..36f0338 100644
--- a/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_news.bash
+++ b/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_news.bash
@@ -2,10 +2,7 @@
 
 source "${PALUDIS_EBUILD_DIR}/echo_functions.bash"
 source "${PALUDIS_EBUILD_DIR}/die_functions.bash"
-
-PORTDIR="/usr/portage"
-
-[[ -z ${PORTDIR} || "$(dirname ${PORTDIR})" == "/" ]] && die "PORTDIR empty or pointing to root!"
+source "/etc/paludis/hooks/set_portdir.bash"
 
 
 cd "${PORTDIR}"/metadata || die "could not cd into '${PORTDIR}/metadata'!"