diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 27b30b6..e6dbe81 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@ emdebian-rootfs (2.0.7) unstable; urgency=low
 
   * [INTL:pt] Updated Portuguese program output translation 
     (Closes: #572929)
+  * Handle relative directories from the command line.
 
- -- Neil Williams <codehelp@debian.org>  Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:56:37 +0000
+ -- Neil Williams <neilw@toby-churchill.com>  Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:39:36 +0000
 
 emdebian-rootfs (2.0.6) unstable; urgency=low
 
diff --git a/em_multistrap b/em_multistrap
index 22c631b..bc17969 100755
--- a/em_multistrap
+++ b/em_multistrap
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/perl
 
-# Copyright (C) 2009  Neil Williams <codehelp@debian.org>
+# Copyright (C) 2009, 2010  Neil Williams <codehelp@debian.org>
 #
 # This package is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ use vars qw/ $progname $ourversion $dstrap $extra @aptsources
 setlocale(LC_MESSAGES, "");
 textdomain("multistrap");
 $progname = basename($0);
-$ourversion = "0.0.8";
+$ourversion = &our_version();
 $unpack = "true";
 
 while( @ARGV ) {
@@ -160,7 +160,12 @@ $libdir = "var/lib/apt/";     # lists
 $etcdir = "etc/apt/";         # sources
 $dpkgdir = "var/lib/dpkg/";   # state
 
-mkdir ("$dir") if (not -d "$dir");
+my $ret = mkdir ("$dir") if (not -d "$dir");
+die ("Unable to create directory '$dir'\n")
+	if ($ret == 0);
+$dir = `realpath $dir`;
+chomp ($dir);
+$dir .= ($dir =~ m:/$:) ? '' : "/";
 system ("mkdir -p ${dir}${cachedir}") if (not -d "${dir}${cachedir}");
 system ("mkdir -p ${dir}${libdir}") if (not -d "${dir}${libdir}");
 system ("mkdir -p ${dir}${dpkgdir}") if (not -d "${dir}${dpkgdir}");
@@ -168,6 +173,10 @@ system ("mkdir -p ${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/")
 	if (not -d "${dir}etc/apt/sources.list.d/");
 system ("mkdir -p ${dir}etc/apt/preferences.d/")
 	if (not -d "${dir}etc/apt/preferences.d/");
+my $msg = sprintf(_g("Unable to create directory '%s'\n"), "${dir}etc/apt/preferences.d/");
+die ($msg)
+	if (not -d "${dir}etc/apt/preferences.d/");
+
 @dirs = qw/ alternatives info parts updates/;
 @touch = qw/ diversions statoverride status lock/;
 foreach my $dpkgd (@dirs) {
@@ -337,6 +346,11 @@ exit 0;
 # touch /usr/share/doc/gcc-4.2-base/.changelog.Debian.gz
 # touch /usr/share/doc/gcc-4.2-base/.changelog.Debian.gz
 
+sub our_version {
+	my $query = `dpkg-query -W -f='\${Version}' multistrap`;
+	(defined $query) ? return $query : return "0.0.9";
+}
+
 sub add_extra_packages
 {
 	$str = join (' ', @extrapkgs);
@@ -414,6 +428,7 @@ sub force_unpack
 	my $old = `pwd`;
 	chomp ($old);
 	chdir ("${dir}");
+	printf (_g("Using directory %s for unpacking operations\n"), ${dir});
 	foreach $deb (sort @archives)
 	{
 		printf (_g("I: Extracting %s...\n"), $deb);
@@ -425,6 +440,13 @@ sub force_unpack
 		my $tmpdir = `mktemp -p ./tmp -d -t multistrap.XXXXXX`;
 		chomp ($tmpdir);
 		my $datatar = `LC_ALL=C dpkg -X ./${cachedir}archives/$deb ${dir}`;
+		my $exit = `echo $?`;
+		chomp ($exit);
+		if ($exit ne "0")
+		{
+			printf(_g("dpkg -X failed with error code %s\nSkipping...\n"), $exit);
+			next;
+		}
 		my @lines = split("\n", $datatar);
 		open (LIST, ">>./${dpkgdir}info/${pkg}.list");
 		foreach my $l (@lines)
diff --git a/po/fr.po b/po/fr.po
index f186a51..d07b6c8 100644
--- a/po/fr.po
+++ b/po/fr.po
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ msgid ""
 msgstr ""
 "Project-Id-Version: multistrap\n"
 "Report-Msgid-Bugs-To: multistrap@packages.debian.org\n"
-"POT-Creation-Date: 2010-02-27 20:02+0000\n"
+"POT-Creation-Date: 2010-03-11 16:43+0000\n"
 "PO-Revision-Date: 2009-11-30 00:40+0100\n"
 "Last-Translator: Bruno Travouillon <debian@travouillon.fr>\n"
 "Language-Team: French <debian-l10n-french@lists.debian.org>\n"
@@ -61,51 +61,56 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "%s building %s multistrap on '%s'\n"
 msgstr "%s construit un multistrap pour l'architecture '%s' sur '%s'\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:203
+#: ../em_multistrap:176
+#, perl-format
+msgid "Unable to create directory '%s'\n"
+msgstr ""
+
+#: ../em_multistrap:212
 msgid "INF: ./lib64 -> /lib symbolic link reset to ./lib.\n"
 msgstr ""
 "INF : Le lien symbolique ./lib64 -> /lib pointe maintenant vers ./lib.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:213
+#: ../em_multistrap:222
 msgid "INF: Setting ./lib64 -> ./lib symbolic link.\n"
 msgstr "INF : Définit le lien symbolique ./lib64 -> ./lib.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:246 ../em_multistrap:253
+#: ../em_multistrap:255 ../em_multistrap:262
 msgid "Cannot open sources list"
 msgstr "Impossible d'ouvrir la liste des sources"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:277
+#: ../em_multistrap:286
 #, perl-format
 msgid "I: Installing %s\n"
 msgstr "I : Installe %s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:294
+#: ../em_multistrap:303
 #, perl-format
 msgid "Getting package lists: apt-get %s update\n"
 msgstr "Téléchargement de la liste des paquets : apt-get %s update\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:296
+#: ../em_multistrap:305
 #, perl-format
 msgid "apt update failed. Exit value: %d\n"
 msgstr "Échec de la mise à jour apt. Code de sortie : %d\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:314
+#: ../em_multistrap:323
 #, perl-format
 msgid "apt download failed. Exit value: %d\n"
 msgstr "Échec du téléchargement apt. Code de sortie : %d\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:326
+#: ../em_multistrap:335
 msgid "ERR: ./lib64 -> /lib symbolic link reset to ./lib after unpacking.\n"
 msgstr ""
 "ERR : Le lien symbolique ./lib64 -> /lib pointera vers ./lib après le "
 "dépaquetage.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:327
+#: ../em_multistrap:336
 #, perl-format
 msgid "ERR: Some files may have been unpacked outside %s!\n"
 msgstr "ERR : Certains fichiers ont été dépaquetés hors de %s !\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:331
+#: ../em_multistrap:340
 #, perl-format
 msgid ""
 "\n"
@@ -116,77 +121,89 @@ msgstr ""
 "Le système multistrap est installé avec succès dans %s.\n"
 "\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:359 ../em_multistrap:410
+#: ../em_multistrap:373 ../em_multistrap:424
 msgid "Cannot read apt archives directory.\n"
 msgstr "Impossible d'accéder au répertoire des archives apt.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:376
+#: ../em_multistrap:390
 msgid "I: Calculating obsolete packages\n"
 msgstr "I : Identifie les paquets obsolètes\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:393 ../em_multistrap:399
+#: ../em_multistrap:407 ../em_multistrap:413
 #, perl-format
 msgid "I: Removing %s\n"
 msgstr "I : Supprime %s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:419
+#: ../em_multistrap:431
+#, perl-format
+msgid "Using directory %s for unpacking operations\n"
+msgstr ""
+
+#: ../em_multistrap:434
 #, perl-format
 msgid "I: Extracting %s...\n"
 msgstr "I : Extrait %s...\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:465
+#: ../em_multistrap:447
+#, perl-format
+msgid ""
+"dpkg -X failed with error code %s\n"
+"Skipping...\n"
+msgstr ""
+
+#: ../em_multistrap:487
 #, perl-format
 msgid " -> Processing conffiles for %s\n"
 msgstr " -> Traitement des fichiers de configuration pour %s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:486
+#: ../em_multistrap:508
 #, perl-format
 msgid "ERR: lib64 -> ./lib symbolic link clobbered by %s\n"
 msgstr "ERR : Le lien symbolique lib64 -> ./lib est remplacé par %s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:489
+#: ../em_multistrap:511
 msgid "INF: lib64 -> /lib symbolic link reset to ./lib.\n"
 msgstr "INF : Le lien symbolique lib64 -> /lib pointe maintenant vers ./lib.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:496
+#: ../em_multistrap:518
 msgid "I: Unpacking complete.\n"
 msgstr "I : Dépaquetage complet.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:511
+#: ../em_multistrap:533
 #, fuzzy
 msgid "ERR: ./bin/sh symbolic link does not exist.\n"
 msgstr "ERR : Le lien symbolique lib64 -> ./lib est remplacé par %s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:514
+#: ../em_multistrap:536
 #, fuzzy
 msgid "INF: Setting ./bin/sh -> ./bin/dash\n"
 msgstr "INF : Définit le lien symbolique ./lib64 -> ./lib.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:521
+#: ../em_multistrap:543
 msgid "INF: ./bin/dash not found. Setting ./bin/sh -> ./bin/bash\n"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:540
+#: ../em_multistrap:562
 msgid "I: Tidying up apt cache and list data.\n"
 msgstr "I : Nettoie le cache apt et les listes de données.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:544
+#: ../em_multistrap:566
 msgid "Cannot read apt lists directory.\n"
 msgstr "Impossible d'accéder au répertoire des listes apt.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:553
+#: ../em_multistrap:575
 msgid "Cannot read apt cache directory/.\n"
 msgstr "Impossible d'accéder au répertoire du cache apt/.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:565
+#: ../em_multistrap:587
 msgid "Cannot read apt archives directory/.\n"
 msgstr "Impossible d'accéder au répertoire des archives apt/.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:583
+#: ../em_multistrap:605
 msgid "I: Native mode - configuring unpacked packages . . .\n"
 msgstr "I : Mode natif, configure les paquets décompressés...\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:590
+#: ../em_multistrap:612
 #, perl-format
 msgid ""
 "I: dpkg configuration settings:\n"
@@ -195,27 +212,27 @@ msgstr ""
 "I : Paramètres de configuration de dpkg :\n"
 "\t%s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:605
+#: ../em_multistrap:627
 #, perl-format
 msgid "Cannot open %s directory. %s\n"
 msgstr "Impossible d'accéder au répertoire %s. %s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:638
+#: ../em_multistrap:660
 #, perl-format
 msgid "cannot open apt sources list. %s"
 msgstr "Impossible d'accéder à la liste des sources apt. %s"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:644
+#: ../em_multistrap:666
 #, perl-format
 msgid "cannot open apt sources.list directory %s\n"
 msgstr "Impossible d'accéder au répertoire des sources apt %s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:649
+#: ../em_multistrap:671
 #, perl-format
 msgid "cannot open /etc/apt/sources.list.d/%s %s"
 msgstr "Impossible d'accéder à /etc/apt/sources.list.d/%s %s"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:661
+#: ../em_multistrap:683
 #, fuzzy, perl-format
 msgid ""
 "\n"
@@ -350,6 +367,6 @@ msgstr ""
 "sera créé. Il n'est pas empaqueté dans un .tgz une fois complété.\n"
 "\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:725
+#: ../em_multistrap:747
 msgid "failed to write usage:"
 msgstr "Impossible d'afficher l'aide :"
diff --git a/po/pt.po b/po/pt.po
index 6df4d7e..bcaf332 100644
--- a/po/pt.po
+++ b/po/pt.po
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ msgid ""
 msgstr ""
 "Project-Id-Version: emdebian-rootfs_2.0.5\n"
 "Report-Msgid-Bugs-To: multistrap@packages.debian.org\n"
-"POT-Creation-Date: 2010-02-27 20:02+0000\n"
+"POT-Creation-Date: 2010-03-11 16:43+0000\n"
 "PO-Revision-Date: 2010-03-06 23:50+0000\n"
 "Last-Translator: Pedro Ribeiro <p.m42.ribeiro@gmail.com>\n"
 "Language-Team: Portuguese <traduz@debianpt.org>\n"
@@ -57,50 +57,55 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "%s building %s multistrap on '%s'\n"
 msgstr "%s a criar multistrap para %s em '%s'\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:203
+#: ../em_multistrap:176
+#, perl-format
+msgid "Unable to create directory '%s'\n"
+msgstr ""
+
+#: ../em_multistrap:212
 msgid "INF: ./lib64 -> /lib symbolic link reset to ./lib.\n"
 msgstr "INF: link simbólico ./lib64 -> /lib reposto para ./lib.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:213
+#: ../em_multistrap:222
 msgid "INF: Setting ./lib64 -> ./lib symbolic link.\n"
 msgstr "INF: A definir link simbólico ./lib64 -> ./lib.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:246 ../em_multistrap:253
+#: ../em_multistrap:255 ../em_multistrap:262
 msgid "Cannot open sources list"
 msgstr "Impossível abrir lista de fontes"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:277
+#: ../em_multistrap:286
 #, perl-format
 msgid "I: Installing %s\n"
 msgstr "I: A instalar %s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:294
+#: ../em_multistrap:303
 #, perl-format
 msgid "Getting package lists: apt-get %s update\n"
 msgstr "A obter listas de pacotes: apt-get %s update\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:296
+#: ../em_multistrap:305
 #, perl-format
 msgid "apt update failed. Exit value: %d\n"
 msgstr "apt update falhou. Valor de saída: %d\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:314
+#: ../em_multistrap:323
 #, perl-format
 msgid "apt download failed. Exit value: %d\n"
 msgstr "apt download falhou. Valor de saída: %d\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:326
+#: ../em_multistrap:335
 msgid "ERR: ./lib64 -> /lib symbolic link reset to ./lib after unpacking.\n"
 msgstr ""
 "ERRO: link simbólico ./lib64 -> /lib reposto para ./lib após "
 "desempacotamento.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:327
+#: ../em_multistrap:336
 #, perl-format
 msgid "ERR: Some files may have been unpacked outside %s!\n"
 msgstr "ERRO: Alguns ficheiros podem ter sido desempacotados fora de %s!\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:331
+#: ../em_multistrap:340
 #, perl-format
 msgid ""
 "\n"
@@ -111,75 +116,87 @@ msgstr ""
 "Sistema multistrap instalado com sucesso em %s.\n"
 "\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:359 ../em_multistrap:410
+#: ../em_multistrap:373 ../em_multistrap:424
 msgid "Cannot read apt archives directory.\n"
 msgstr "Impossível ler o directório de arquivos apt.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:376
+#: ../em_multistrap:390
 msgid "I: Calculating obsolete packages\n"
 msgstr "I: A calcular pacotes obsoletos\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:393 ../em_multistrap:399
+#: ../em_multistrap:407 ../em_multistrap:413
 #, perl-format
 msgid "I: Removing %s\n"
 msgstr "I: A remover %s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:419
+#: ../em_multistrap:431
+#, perl-format
+msgid "Using directory %s for unpacking operations\n"
+msgstr ""
+
+#: ../em_multistrap:434
 #, perl-format
 msgid "I: Extracting %s...\n"
 msgstr "I: A extrair %s...\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:465
+#: ../em_multistrap:447
+#, perl-format
+msgid ""
+"dpkg -X failed with error code %s\n"
+"Skipping...\n"
+msgstr ""
+
+#: ../em_multistrap:487
 #, perl-format
 msgid " -> Processing conffiles for %s\n"
 msgstr " -> A processar ficheiros de configuração para %s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:486
+#: ../em_multistrap:508
 #, perl-format
 msgid "ERR: lib64 -> ./lib symbolic link clobbered by %s\n"
 msgstr "ERRO: link simbólico lib64 -> ./lib ocultado por %s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:489
+#: ../em_multistrap:511
 msgid "INF: lib64 -> /lib symbolic link reset to ./lib.\n"
 msgstr "INF: link simbólico lib64 -> /lib reposto para ./lib.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:496
+#: ../em_multistrap:518
 msgid "I: Unpacking complete.\n"
 msgstr "I: Desempacotamento completo.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:511
+#: ../em_multistrap:533
 msgid "ERR: ./bin/sh symbolic link does not exist.\n"
 msgstr "ERRO: link simbólico ./bin/sh não existe.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:514
+#: ../em_multistrap:536
 msgid "INF: Setting ./bin/sh -> ./bin/dash\n"
 msgstr "INF: A definir link simbólico ./bin/sh -> ./bin/dash\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:521
+#: ../em_multistrap:543
 msgid "INF: ./bin/dash not found. Setting ./bin/sh -> ./bin/bash\n"
 msgstr "INF: ./bin/dash não foi encontrado. A definir ./bin/sh -> ./bin/bash\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:540
+#: ../em_multistrap:562
 msgid "I: Tidying up apt cache and list data.\n"
 msgstr "I: A arrumar dados de lista e de apt cache.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:544
+#: ../em_multistrap:566
 msgid "Cannot read apt lists directory.\n"
 msgstr "Impossível ler directório de listas apt.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:553
+#: ../em_multistrap:575
 msgid "Cannot read apt cache directory/.\n"
 msgstr "Impossível ler directório/ de apt cache.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:565
+#: ../em_multistrap:587
 msgid "Cannot read apt archives directory/.\n"
 msgstr "Impossível ler directório/ de arquivos apt.\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:583
+#: ../em_multistrap:605
 msgid "I: Native mode - configuring unpacked packages . . .\n"
 msgstr "I: Modo nativo - a configurar pacotes desempacotados . . .\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:590
+#: ../em_multistrap:612
 #, perl-format
 msgid ""
 "I: dpkg configuration settings:\n"
@@ -188,27 +205,27 @@ msgstr ""
 "I: opções de configuração do dpkg:\n"
 "\t%s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:605
+#: ../em_multistrap:627
 #, perl-format
 msgid "Cannot open %s directory. %s\n"
 msgstr "Impossível abrir o directório %s. %s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:638
+#: ../em_multistrap:660
 #, perl-format
 msgid "cannot open apt sources list. %s"
 msgstr "impossível abrir lista de fontes. %s"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:644
+#: ../em_multistrap:666
 #, perl-format
 msgid "cannot open apt sources.list directory %s\n"
 msgstr "impossível abrir directório de apt sources.list %s\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:649
+#: ../em_multistrap:671
 #, perl-format
 msgid "cannot open /etc/apt/sources.list.d/%s %s"
 msgstr "impossível abrir /etc/apt/sources.list.d/%s %s"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:661
+#: ../em_multistrap:683
 #, perl-format
 msgid ""
 "\n"
@@ -346,7 +363,7 @@ msgstr ""
 "será criado - não será empacotado num .tgz após ficar completo.\n"
 "\n"
 
-#: ../em_multistrap:725
+#: ../em_multistrap:747
 msgid "failed to write usage:"
 msgstr "falhou a escrita do modo de utilização:"