diff --git a/cmd/helm/init.go b/cmd/helm/init.go
index 6c9cacf3b..d368945ec 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/init.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/init.go
@@ -382,11 +382,11 @@ func ensureDefaultRepos(home helmpath.Home, out io.Writer, skipRefresh bool) err
 	if fi, err := os.Stat(repoFile); err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(out, "Creating %s \n", repoFile)
 		f := repo.NewRepoFile()
-		sr, err := initStableRepo(home.CacheIndex(stableRepository), out, skipRefresh)
+		sr, err := initStableRepo(home.CacheIndex(stableRepository), out, skipRefresh, home)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		lr, err := initLocalRepo(home.LocalRepository(localRepositoryIndexFile), home.CacheIndex("local"), out)
+		lr, err := initLocalRepo(home.LocalRepository(localRepositoryIndexFile), home.CacheIndex("local"), out, home)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ func ensureDefaultRepos(home helmpath.Home, out io.Writer, skipRefresh bool) err
 	return nil
 }
 
-func initStableRepo(cacheFile string, out io.Writer, skipRefresh bool) (*repo.Entry, error) {
+func initStableRepo(cacheFile string, out io.Writer, skipRefresh bool, home helmpath.Home) (*repo.Entry, error) {
 	fmt.Fprintf(out, "Adding %s repo with URL: %s \n", stableRepository, stableRepositoryURL)
 	c := repo.Entry{
 		Name:  stableRepository,
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ func initStableRepo(cacheFile string, out io.Writer, skipRefresh bool) (*repo.En
 	return &c, nil
 }
 
-func initLocalRepo(indexFile, cacheFile string, out io.Writer) (*repo.Entry, error) {
+func initLocalRepo(indexFile, cacheFile string, out io.Writer, home helmpath.Home) (*repo.Entry, error) {
 	if fi, err := os.Stat(indexFile); err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(out, "Adding %s repo with URL: %s \n", localRepository, localRepositoryURL)
 		i := repo.NewIndexFile()
@@ -435,7 +435,9 @@ func initLocalRepo(indexFile, cacheFile string, out io.Writer) (*repo.Entry, err
 		}
 
 		//TODO: take this out and replace with helm update functionality
-		createLink(indexFile, cacheFile)
+		if err := createLink(indexFile, cacheFile, home); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	} else if fi.IsDir() {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s must be a file, not a directory", indexFile)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/helm/init_unix.go b/cmd/helm/init_unix.go
index ff6260434..1117dd487 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/init_unix.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/init_unix.go
@@ -20,8 +20,10 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"os"
+
+	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/helm/helmpath"
 )
 
-func createLink(indexFile, cacheFile string) {
-	os.Symlink(indexFile, cacheFile)
+func createLink(indexFile, cacheFile string, home helmpath.Home) error {
+	return os.Symlink(indexFile, cacheFile)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/helm/init_windows.go b/cmd/helm/init_windows.go
index 73ae6c6de..be17bccda 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/init_windows.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/init_windows.go
@@ -20,8 +20,10 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"os"
+
+	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/helm/helmpath"
 )
 
-func createLink(indexFile, cacheFile string) {
-	os.Link(indexFile, cacheFile)
+func createLink(indexFile, cacheFile string, home helmpath.Home) error {
+	return os.Link(indexFile, cacheFile)
 }