diff --git a/git-subtree.sh b/git-subtree.sh
index 501c6dc2f1..935dfca7f3 100755
--- a/git-subtree.sh
+++ b/git-subtree.sh
@@ -29,8 +29,12 @@ rejoin        merge the new branch back into HEAD
 squash        merge subtree changes as a single commit
 "
 eval $(echo "$OPTS_SPEC" | git rev-parse --parseopt -- "$@" || echo exit $?)
+
+OPATH=$PATH
 PATH=$(git --exec-path):$PATH
 . git-sh-setup
+PATH=$OPATH  # apparently needed for some versions of msysgit
+
 require_work_tree
 
 quiet=