diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 0.2.4.1 (2020-02-11)
+- assert that cabal-install installed
+- run hlint in git checkout instead of working tree
+
 ## 0.2.4 (2019-10-05)
 - git push before publishing
 - only push up to tag
diff --git a/Main.hs b/Main.hs
--- a/Main.hs
+++ b/Main.hs
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@
 
 tagDistCmd :: Bool -> IO ()
 tagDistCmd force = do
-  mhlint <- findExecutable "hlint"
-  when (isJust mhlint) $ void $ cmdBool "hlint" ["."]
+  needProgram "cabal"
   diff <- git "diff" []
   unless (null diff) $ do
     putStrLn "=== start of uncommitted changes ==="
@@ -86,6 +85,8 @@
     git_ "clone" ["-q", "--no-checkout", "..", "."]
     git_ "checkout" ["-q", tag]
     cabal_ "check" []
+    mhlint <- findExecutable "hlint"
+    when (isJust mhlint) $ void $ cmdBool "hlint" ["."]
     cabal_ "configure" []
     -- cabal_ "build" []
     cabal_ "sdist" []
@@ -110,7 +111,7 @@
     git_ "push" ["origin", tagHash ++ ":" ++ branch]
     git_ "push" ["origin", tag]
   cabal_ "upload" $ ["--publish" | publish] ++ [file]
-  when publish $ do
+  when publish $
     createFileLink (takeFileName file) (file <.> "published")
 
 upHaddockCmd :: Bool -> IO ()
@@ -125,3 +126,11 @@
 withTempDirectory dir run =
   bracket_ (createDirectory dir) (removeDirectoryRecursive dir) $
   withCurrentDirectory dir run
+
+#if (defined(MIN_VERSION_simple_cmd) && MIN_VERSION_simple_cmd(0,2,1))
+#else
+needProgram :: String -> IO ()
+needProgram prog = do
+  mx <- findExecutable prog
+  unless (isJust mx) $ error' $ "program needs " ++ prog
+#endif
diff --git a/hkgr.cabal b/hkgr.cabal
--- a/hkgr.cabal
+++ b/hkgr.cabal
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 cabal-version:       2.0
 name:                hkgr
-version:             0.2.4
+version:             0.2.4.1
 synopsis:            Simple Hackage release workflow for package maintainers
 description:
-            Hkgr (pronouced "Hackager") is a tool to help make new releases of
+            Hkgr (pronounced "Hackager") is a tool to help make new releases of
             Haskell packages, with commands for git tagging, pristine sdist,
             and uploading to Hackage.
 homepage:            https://github.com/juhp/hkgr
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 license-file:        LICENSE
 author:              Jens Petersen
 maintainer:          juhpetersen@gmail.com
-copyright:           2019 Jens Petersen
+copyright:           2019-2020  Jens Petersen
 category:            Util
 build-type:          Simple
 extra-doc-files:     README.md
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
                        filepath,
                        simple-cabal,
                        simple-cmd >= 0.2.0,
-                       simple-cmd-args
+                       simple-cmd-args >= 0.1.1
   if impl(ghc<8.0)
       build-depends: semigroups