diff --git a/acmc/phen.py b/acmc/phen.py
index 0b54d16a6555ce0656d5bf4c8f11cd34643c3347..a92bdb295986dbcec2dad4d4c9b8c46cb5f50a18 100644
--- a/acmc/phen.py
+++ b/acmc/phen.py
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ def init(phen_dir, remote_url):
         repo = git.Repo.init(phen_path)
         commit_count = 0
 
+    phen_path = phen_path.resolve()
     # initialise empty repos
     if commit_count == 0:
         # create initial commit