diff --git a/compile.sh b/compile.sh
index 043f47c30..01f86bc12 100755
--- a/compile.sh
+++ b/compile.sh
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@
 # you can install all 3rd-party dependencies by running make -f contrib/Makefiles/install-dependencies.gmake
 
 set -e -o pipefail
-./bjam --with-irstlm=./opt --with-boost=./opt --with-cmph=./opt --with-xmlrpc-c=./opt --with-mm --with-probing-pt -j$(getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN) $@
+opt=$(pwd)/opt
+./bjam --with-irstlm=$opt --with-boost=$opt --with-cmph=$opt --with-xmlrpc-c=$opt --with-mm --with-probing-pt -j$(getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN) $@
 
diff --git a/run-regtests.sh b/run-regtests.sh
index 8b64eac22..15eb134a5 100755
--- a/run-regtests.sh
+++ b/run-regtests.sh
@@ -2,13 +2,14 @@
 # this script assumes that all 3rd-party dependencies are installed under ./opt
 # you can install all 3rd-party dependencies by running make -f contrib/Makefiles/install-dependencies.gmake
 
-set -e -o pipefail
+set -e -o pipefail -x
 
-git submodule init
-git submodule update regtest
+opt=$(pwd)/opt
+# git submodule init
+# git submodule update regtest
 
 # test compilation without xmlrpc-c
-./bjam -j$(nproc) --with-irstlm=./opt --with-boost=./opt --with-cmph=./opt --no-xmlrpc-c --with-regtest=./regtest -a -q $@ || exit $?
+./bjam -j$(nproc) --with-irstlm=$opt --with-boost=$opt --with-cmph=$opt --no-xmlrpc-c --with-regtest=./regtest -a -q $@ || exit $?
 
 # test compilation with xmlrpc-c
-./bjam -j$(nproc) --with-irstlm=./opt --with-boost=./opt --with-cmph=./opt --with-xmlrpc-c=./opt --with-regtest=./regtest -a -q $@
+./bjam -j$(nproc) --with-irstlm=$opt --with-boost=$opt --with-cmph=$opt --with-xmlrpc-c=$opt --with-regtest=./regtest -a -q $@