diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4c749a0357..8586fcd397 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -523,7 +523,8 @@ ifneq (,$(findstring MINGW,$(uname_S)))
 	EXTLIBS += -lws2_32
 	X = .exe
 	NOEXECTEMPL = .noexec
-	prefix =
+	template_dir = ../share/git-core/templates/
+	ETC_GITCONFIG = ../etc/gitconfig
 endif
 ifneq (,$(findstring arm,$(uname_M)))
 	ARM_SHA1 = YesPlease
@@ -774,12 +775,12 @@ endif
 # Shell quote (do not use $(call) to accommodate ancient setups);
 
 SHA1_HEADER_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(SHA1_HEADER))
-ETC_GITCONFIG_SQ = \057etc/gitconfig
+ETC_GITCONFIG_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(ETC_GITCONFIG))
 
 DESTDIR_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(DESTDIR))
 bindir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(bindir))
 gitexecdir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(gitexecdir))
-template_dir_SQ = \057share/git-core/templates
+template_dir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(template_dir))
 prefix_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(prefix))
 sysconfdir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(sysconfdir))
 
diff --git a/builtin-init-db.c b/builtin-init-db.c
index 2feec40eb6..bb132ec086 100644
--- a/builtin-init-db.c
+++ b/builtin-init-db.c
@@ -145,17 +145,6 @@ static void copy_templates(const char *git_dir, int len, const char *template_di
 			template_dir = prefix_path(exec_path, strlen(exec_path),
 						   template_dir);
 		}
-#if __MINGW32__
-		/*
-		 * If it is an absolute Unix path it is prefixed with
-		 * the git_install_prefix().
-		 */
-		else if (template_dir[0] == '/') {
-			const char* prefix = git_install_prefix();
-			template_dir = prefix_path(prefix, strlen(prefix),
-			                           template_dir);
-		}
-#endif
 	}
 	strcpy(template_path, template_dir);
 	template_len = strlen(template_path);
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 0b167ceb75..7b9ded1655 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -473,17 +473,6 @@ const char *git_etc_gitconfig(void)
 			system_wide = prefix_path(exec_path, strlen(exec_path),
 						system_wide);
 		}
-#if __MINGW32__
-		/*
-		 * If it is an absolute Unix path it is prefixed with
-		 * the git_install_prefix().
-		 */
-		else if (system_wide[0] == '/') {
-			const char* prefix = git_install_prefix();
-			system_wide = prefix_path(prefix, strlen(prefix),
-			                           system_wide);
-		}
-#endif
 	}
 	return system_wide;
 }