diff --git a/vendor/init.bat b/vendor/init.bat
index c792f94cc..50d4a4e1a 100644
--- a/vendor/init.bat
+++ b/vendor/init.bat
@@ -40,24 +40,55 @@ if not exist "%CMDER_ROOT%\config\settings" (
 set PLINK_PROTOCOL=ssh
 if not defined TERM set TERM=cygwin
 
-:: Check if msysgit is installed
-if exist "%ProgramFiles%\Git" (
-    set "GIT_INSTALL_ROOT=%ProgramFiles%\Git"
-) else if exist "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Git" (
-    set "GIT_INSTALL_ROOT=%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Git"
-) else if exist "%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Programs\Git" (
-    set "GIT_INSTALL_ROOT=%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Programs\Git"
-) else if exist "%CMDER_ROOT%\vendor\git-for-windows" (
+:: The idea:
+:: * if the users points as to a specific git, use that
+:: * test if a git is in path and if yes, use that
+:: * last, use our vendored git
+:: also check that we have a recent enough version of git (e.g. test for GIT\cmd\git.exe)
+if defined GIT_INSTALL_ROOT (
+    if exist "%GIT_INSTALL_ROOT%\cmd\git.exe" (goto :FOUND_GIT)
+)
+
+:: check if git is in path...
+setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
+for /F "delims=" %%F in ('where git.exe') do @(
+    pushd %%~dpF
+    cd ..
+    set "test_dir=!CD!"
+    popd
+    if exist "!test_dir!\cmd\git.exe" (
+        set GIT_INSTALL_ROOT=!test_dir!
+        set test_dir=
+        goto :FOUND_GIT
+    ) else (
+        echo Found old git version in "!test_dir!", but not using...
+        set test_dir=
+    )
+)
+
+:: our last hope: our own git...
+:VENDORED_GIT
+if exist "%CMDER_ROOT%\vendor\git-for-windows" (
     set "GIT_INSTALL_ROOT=%CMDER_ROOT%\vendor\git-for-windows"
+    rem add the minimal git commands to the front of the path
+    set "PATH=%GIT_INSTALL_ROOT%\cmd;%PATH%"
+) else (
+    goto :NO_GIT
 )
 
+:FOUND_GIT
 :: Add git to the path
 if defined GIT_INSTALL_ROOT (
-    set "PATH=%GIT_INSTALL_ROOT%\bin;%GIT_INSTALL_ROOT%\usr\bin;%GIT_INSTALL_ROOT%\usr\share\vim\vim74;%PATH%"
+    rem add the unix commands at the end to not shadow windows commands like more
+    echo Enhancing PATH with unix commands from git [%GIT_INSTALL_ROOT%]
+    set "PATH=%PATH%;%GIT_INSTALL_ROOT%\usr\bin;%GIT_INSTALL_ROOT%\usr\share\vim\vim74"
     :: define SVN_SSH so we can use git svn with ssh svn repositories
     if not defined SVN_SSH set "SVN_SSH=%GIT_INSTALL_ROOT:\=\\%\\bin\\ssh.exe"
 )
 
+:NO_GIT
+endlocal & set PATH=%PATH% & set SVN_SSH=%SVN_SSH% & set GIT_INSTALL_ROOT=%GIT_INSTALL_ROOT%
+
 :: Enhance Path
 set "PATH=%CMDER_ROOT%\bin;%PATH%;%CMDER_ROOT%\"
 
diff --git a/vendor/profile.ps1 b/vendor/profile.ps1
index 0d830f568..a2f75b509 100644
--- a/vendor/profile.ps1
+++ b/vendor/profile.ps1
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ try {
     # Check if git is on PATH, i.e. Git already installed on system
     Get-command -Name "git" -ErrorAction Stop >$null
 } catch {
+    $env:Path += $(";" + $env:CMDER_ROOT + "\vendor\git-for-windows\cmd")
+    # for bash.exe, which in the cmd version is found as <GIT>\usr\bin\bash.exe
     $env:Path += $(";" + $env:CMDER_ROOT + "\vendor\git-for-windows\bin")
 }