diff --git a/t/t9700/test.pl b/t/t9700/test.pl
index 4d2312548a..851cea4a4b 100755
--- a/t/t9700/test.pl
+++ b/t/t9700/test.pl
@@ -14,10 +14,7 @@ use File::Temp;
 BEGIN { use_ok('Git') }
 
 # set up
-our $repo_dir = "trash directory";
 our $abs_repo_dir = Cwd->cwd;
-die "this must be run by calling the t/t97* shell script(s)\n"
-    if basename(Cwd->cwd) ne $repo_dir;
 ok(our $r = Git->repository(Directory => "."), "open repository");
 
 # config