diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index b7ac6ae18..1455044aa 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ script:
 - python travis/authors-rst.py
 - python travis/script-in-readme.py
 - python travis/script-syntax.py --ext=lua --cmd="luac5.2 -p"
-- python travis/script-syntax.py --ext=rb --cmd="ruby -c" --path library/scripts/
+- python travis/script-syntax.py --ext=rb --cmd="ruby -c"
 - mkdir build-travis
 - cd build-travis
 - cmake .. -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=gcc-$GCC_VERSION -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=g++-$GCC_VERSION -DBUILD_DOCS:BOOL=ON
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 4bd89edce..9b9b985c2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -210,6 +210,8 @@ IF(BUILD_PLUGINS)
     add_subdirectory (plugins)
 endif()
 
+add_subdirectory(scripts)
+
 find_package(Sphinx QUIET)
 if (BUILD_DOCS)
   if (NOT SPHINX_FOUND)
@@ -221,12 +223,12 @@ if (BUILD_DOCS)
     "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/docs/images/*.png"
     "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/docs/styles/*"
     "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/conf.py"
-    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/library/scripts/about.txt"
-    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/library/scripts/*/about.txt"
+    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/scripts/about.txt"
+    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/scripts/*/about.txt"
   )
   file(GLOB_RECURSE SPHINX_SCRIPT_DEPS
-    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/library/scripts/*.lua"
-    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/library/scripts/*.rb"
+    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/scripts/*.lua"
+    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/scripts/*.rb"
   )
   set(SPHINX_DEPS ${SPHINX_DEPS} ${SPHINX_SCRIPT_DEPS}
     "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/LICENSE.rst"
diff --git a/conf.py b/conf.py
index 52f715ec5..10df1b551 100644
--- a/conf.py
+++ b/conf.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def document_scripts():
     """
     # First, we collect the commands and paths to include in our docs
     scripts = []
-    for root, _, files in os.walk('library/scripts'):
+    for root, _, files in os.walk('scripts'):
         scripts.extend(doc_dir(root, files))
     # Next we split by type and create include directives sorted by command
     kinds = {'base': [], 'devel': [], 'fix': [], 'gui': [], 'modtools': []}
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def write_script_docs():
         'modtools': 'Scripts for Modders'}
     for k in head:
         title = ('.. _{k}:\n\n{l}\n{t}\n{l}\n\n'
-                 '.. include:: /library/scripts/{a}about.txt\n\n'
+                 '.. include:: /scripts/{a}about.txt\n\n'
                  '.. contents::\n\n').format(
                      k=k, t=head[k],
                      l=len(head[k])*'#',
diff --git a/docs/Compile.rst b/docs/Compile.rst
index 006c1d263..650abbfca 100644
--- a/docs/Compile.rst
+++ b/docs/Compile.rst
@@ -35,7 +35,21 @@ To get the latest development code (develop branch), clone as above and then::
 
 You must run ``git submodule update`` every time you change Git branch,
 for example when switching between master and develop branches and back.
-
+If a submodule only exists on the newer branch, you also need to run
+``git submodule update --init``. Failure to do this may result in strange
+build errors or "not a known DF version" errors.
+
+**Important note regarding very old git versions**
+
+If you are using git 1.8.0 or older, and cloned DFHack before commit 85a920d
+(around DFHack v0.43.03-alpha1), you may run into fatal git errors when updating
+submodules after switching branches. This is due to those versions of git being
+unable to handle our change from "scripts/3rdparty/name" submodules to a single
+"scripts" submodule. This may be fixable by renaming .git/modules/scripts to
+something else and re-running ``git submodule update --init`` on the branch with
+the single scripts submodule (and running it again when switching back to the
+one with multiple submodules, if necessary), but it is usually much simpler to
+upgrade your git version.
 
 Contributing to DFHack
 ======================
@@ -47,6 +61,8 @@ and whenever you need help.
 
 .. _IRC: https://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=dfhack
 
+(Note: for submodule issues, please see the above instructions first!)
+
 For lots more details on contributing to DFHack, including pull requests, code format,
 and more, please see `contributing-code`.
 
diff --git a/library/CMakeLists.txt b/library/CMakeLists.txt
index 3a6cd4dc8..116f0c4b3 100644
--- a/library/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/library/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -407,13 +407,6 @@ install(DIRECTORY lua/
         DESTINATION ${DFHACK_LUA_DESTINATION}
         FILES_MATCHING PATTERN "*.lua")
 
-#install(DIRECTORY ${dfhack_SOURCE_DIR}/scripts
-#        DESTINATION ${DFHACK_DATA_DESTINATION}
-#        FILES_MATCHING PATTERN "*.lua"
-#                       PATTERN "*.rb"
-#                       PATTERN "3rdparty" EXCLUDE
-#        )
-
 install(DIRECTORY ${dfhack_SOURCE_DIR}/patches
         DESTINATION ${DFHACK_DATA_DESTINATION}
         FILES_MATCHING PATTERN "*.dif")
@@ -434,5 +427,3 @@ if(BUILD_DEVEL)
         add_subdirectory (doc)
     ENDIF()
 endif()
-
-add_subdirectory(scripts)