diff --git a/dev/all-tests.sh b/dev/all-tests.sh
index f644247..3bf1c0f 100755
--- a/dev/all-tests.sh
+++ b/dev/all-tests.sh
@@ -5,17 +5,11 @@
 #
 # Description: run all tests, exit after failed test
 #
-#### $$VERSION$$ v1.25-dev-14-g2fe6d4b
+#### $$VERSION$$ v1.30-dev-19-g0794506
 #############################################################
 
-# magic to ensure that we're always inside the root of our application,
-# no matter from which directory we'll run script
-GIT_DIR=$(git rev-parse --git-dir 2>/dev/null)
-if [ "${GIT_DIR}" != "" ] ; then
-	cd "${GIT_DIR}/.." || exit 1
-else
-	printf "Sorry, no git repository %s\n" "$(pwd)" && exit 1
-fi
+#shellcheck disable=SC1090
+source "${0%/*}/dev.inc.sh"
 
 ##########################
 # create test environment
diff --git a/dev/dev.inc.sh b/dev/dev.inc.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..78882df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/dev.inc.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+#############################################################
+#
+# File: dev/dev.inc.sh
+#
+# Description: common stuff for all dev scripts
+#
+#### $$VERSION$$ v1.30-dev-19-g0794506
+#############################################################
+
+# magic to ensure that we're always inside the root of our application,
+# no matter from which directory we'll run script
+
+BASE_DIR=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>/dev/null)
+# keep old for compatibility 
+# shellcheck disable=SC2034
+GIT_DIR=$(git rev-parse --git-dir 2>/dev/null)
+if [ "${BASE_DIR}" != "" ] ; then
+	cd "${BASE_DIR}" || exit 1
+else
+	printf "Sorry, no git repository %s\n" "$(pwd)" && exit 1
+fi
+