diff --git a/.local/bin/dotfiles-install.sh b/.local/bin/dotfiles-install.sh
index ddc3210..485522e 100755
--- a/.local/bin/dotfiles-install.sh
+++ b/.local/bin/dotfiles-install.sh
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ else
    # get the list of files that need to be backed up
    DOTFILES_BACKUP_LIST=($(dot checkout 2>&1 | grep -Po "\t.*$" | cut -c 1 --complement))
    # create directories for everything that needs one 
-   mkdir -p $(printf '%s\n' "${DOTFILES_BACKUP_LIST[@]}" | grep -Po '.*/' | sed "s#.*#$DOTFILES_BACKUP_DIR/&#g")
+   mkdir -p "$DOTFILES_BACKUP_DIR" $(printf '%s\n' "${DOTFILES_BACKUP_LIST[@]}" | grep -Po '.*/' | sed "s#.*#$DOTFILES_BACKUP_DIR/&#g")
    # backup the files to avoid them being overwritten
    printf '%s\n' "${DOTFILES_BACKUP_LIST[@]}" | xargs -I{} mv "$HOME"/{} "$DOTFILES_BACKUP_DIR"/{}
 fi