diff --git a/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_news.bash b/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_news.bash
index 36f0338..9afa371 100644
--- a/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_news.bash
+++ b/etc/paludis/hooks/sync_all_post/sync_news.bash
@@ -17,4 +17,9 @@ fi
 
 cd "${PORTDIR}"/metadata/news || die "failed to cd into ${PORTDIR}/metadata/news"
 git clean -fdxq || die "failed to clean git repo!"
-cp -a */* . || die "could not copy news dirs to base news dir!"
+
+if [[ -n "$(find . -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type d -name "*-*-*")" ]] ; then
+	die "it seems the repository format of proj/gentoo-news has changed! Update your script!"
+else
+	cp -a */* . || die "could not copy news dirs to base news dir!"
+fi