diff --git a/git-cvsexportcommit.perl b/git-cvsexportcommit.perl
index 39a426e067..e6bf25232c 100755
--- a/git-cvsexportcommit.perl
+++ b/git-cvsexportcommit.perl
@@ -30,6 +30,13 @@
 		chomp($gd);
 		$ENV{GIT_DIR} = $gd;
 	}
+
+	# On MSYS, convert a Windows-style path to an MSYS-style path
+	# so that rel2abs() below works correctly.
+	if ($^O eq 'msys') {
+		$ENV{GIT_DIR} =~ s#^([[:alpha:]]):/#/$1/#;
+	}
+
 	# Make sure GIT_DIR is absolute
 	$ENV{GIT_DIR} = File::Spec->rel2abs($ENV{GIT_DIR});
 }