diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cd5888b9a2..0d230227c2 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2291,8 +2291,7 @@ install: all
 	$(INSTALL) $(install_bindir_programs) '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(bindir_SQ)'
 	$(MAKE) -C templates DESTDIR='$(DESTDIR_SQ)' install
 	$(INSTALL) -d -m 755 '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(mergetools_instdir_SQ)'
-	(cd mergetools && $(TAR) cf - .) | \
-	(cd '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(mergetools_instdir_SQ)' && umask 022 && $(TAR) xof -)
+	$(INSTALL) -m 644 mergetools/* '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(mergetools_instdir_SQ)'
 ifndef NO_PERL
 	$(MAKE) -C perl prefix='$(prefix_SQ)' DESTDIR='$(DESTDIR_SQ)' install
 	$(MAKE) -C gitweb install