diff --git a/.github/workflows/hook-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/hook-tests.yaml
index a27f37217..8560022b5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/hook-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/hook-tests.yaml
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ jobs:
           }
           # avoid build-time deps
           options(install.packages.compile.from.source = "never") 
-          renv::install(c('testthat', 'devtools', 'git2r'))
+          renv::install(c('testthat', 'pkgload', 'git2r'))
           # some testing infrastructure we need is in R/testing.R
           renv::install(getwd())
         shell: Rscript {0}
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ jobs:
         shell: Rscript {0}
       - name: Test
         run: |
-          devtools::load_all()
+          pkgload::load_all()
           testthat::test_file(
             "tests/testthat/test-hooks.R",
             reporter = testthat::MultiReporter$new(list(
diff --git a/R/testing.R b/R/testing.R
index a0c2f3fa5..4e3295fbe 100644
--- a/R/testing.R
+++ b/R/testing.R
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ run_test_impl <- function(path_executable,
                           file_transformer,
                           env,
                           expect_success) {
-  tempdir <- fs::dir_create(fs::file_temp())
+  # ensure cannonical /private/var/... not /var/... on macOS
+  tempdir <- fs::path(normalizePath((fs::dir_create(fs::file_temp()))))
   copy_artifacts(artifacts, tempdir)
   # if name set use this, otherwise put in root
   path_candidate_temp <- fs::path(tempdir, names(path_candidate))
diff --git a/inst/hooks/exported/deps-in-desc.R b/inst/hooks/exported/deps-in-desc.R
index c1c13fdc3..3d0f500fd 100755
--- a/inst/hooks/exported/deps-in-desc.R
+++ b/inst/hooks/exported/deps-in-desc.R
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@
 
 "Ensure all dependencies of the form pkg::fun are in DESCRIPTION
 Usage:
-  deps-in-desc [--allow_private_imports] <files>...
+  deps-in-desc [--allow_private_imports] [--root=<root_>] <files>...
 
 Options:
   --allow_private_imports  Whether or not to allow the use of ::: on imported functions.
+  --root=<root_>  Path relative to the git root that contains the R package root [default: .].
+
 " -> doc
 pre_installed <- c(
   "base", "boot", "class", "cluster", "codetools", "compiler",
@@ -16,6 +18,8 @@ pre_installed <- c(
 )
 
 arguments <- docopt::docopt(doc)
+arguments$files <- normalizePath(arguments$files) # because working directory changes to root
+setwd(normalizePath(arguments$root))
 deps_in_desc <- function(file, arguments) {
   if (basename(file) == "README.Rmd") {
     # is .Rbuildignored, dependencies irrelevant
@@ -70,6 +74,7 @@ deps_in_desc <- function(file, arguments) {
   }
   out
 }
+
 out <- lapply(arguments$files, deps_in_desc, arguments = arguments)
 if (!all(unlist(out))) {
   stop("Dependency check failed", call. = FALSE)
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-hooks.R b/tests/testthat/test-hooks.R
index fce703481..de1fd9956 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-hooks.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-hooks.R
@@ -213,6 +213,35 @@ run_test("deps-in-desc",
   artifacts = c("DESCRIPTION" = test_path("in/DESCRIPTION"))
 )
 
+# in sub directory with wrong root
+run_test("deps-in-desc",
+  suffix = "-fail.R", std_err = "contains a file",
+  file_transformer = function(files) {
+    fs::path_abs(fs::file_move(files, "rpkg"))
+  },
+  artifacts = c("rpkg/DESCRIPTION" = test_path("in/DESCRIPTION"))
+)
+
+# in sub directory with correct root
+run_test("deps-in-desc",
+  cmd_args = "--root=rpkg",
+  suffix = "-fail.R", std_err = "Dependency check failed",
+  file_transformer = function(files) {
+    fs::path_abs(fs::file_move(files, "rpkg"))
+  },
+  artifacts = c("rpkg/DESCRIPTION" = test_path("in/DESCRIPTION"))
+)
+
+# in sub directory with correct root
+run_test("deps-in-desc",
+  cmd_args = "--root=rpkg",
+  suffix = "-success.R", std_err = NULL,
+  file_transformer = function(files) {
+    fs::path_abs(fs::file_move(files, "rpkg"))
+  },
+  artifacts = c("rpkg/DESCRIPTION" = test_path("in/DESCRIPTION"))
+)
+
 # with :::
 run_test("deps-in-desc",
   "deps-in-desc-dot3",
@@ -237,7 +266,7 @@ run_test("deps-in-desc",
 run_test("deps-in-desc",
   "deps-in-desc",
   suffix = "-fail.Rmd", std_err = "Dependency check failed",
-  std_out = "in file `deps-in-desc-fail.Rmd`",
+  std_out = "deps-in-desc-fail.Rmd`: ttyzp",
   artifacts = c("DESCRIPTION" = test_path("in/DESCRIPTION"))
 )
 
diff --git a/vignettes/available-hooks.Rmd b/vignettes/available-hooks.Rmd
index 320909806..37735f0f5 100644
--- a/vignettes/available-hooks.Rmd
+++ b/vignettes/available-hooks.Rmd
@@ -226,14 +226,30 @@ roclets you specified in `DESCRIPTION`.
 ## `deps-in-desc`
 
 Checks if packages used with the `pkgname::fun()` syntax are listed in
-your DESCRIPTION file. Note that `README.Rmd` is never checked. Flag
-`allow_private_imports` lets the user specify that private imports into
-the package namespace are tolerable, e.g. `somepkg:::x()`. Flag not set
-by default, i.e. the hook will fail if such a call is found.
+your DESCRIPTION file. Note that `README.Rmd` is never checked.
+
+**Arguments**
+
+-   Flag `allow_private_imports` lets the user specify that private
+    imports into the package namespace are tolerable, e.g.
+    `somepkg:::x()`. Flag not set by default, i.e. the hook will fail if
+    such a call is found.
+
+<!-- -->
 
       id: deps-in-desc 
       args: [--allow_private_imports] 
 
+-   Argument `root` specifies the directory in the git repo that
+    contains the R package. Defaults to `.` since for most R package git
+    repos, the git and R package root coincide. Added in version
+    0.3.2.9000.
+
+<!-- -->
+
+    id: deps-in-desc 
+      args: [--root=<R package root>] 
+
 This hook does not modify the file `DESCRIPTION` because the user should
 decide for each package if it should go to `Imports:` or `Suggests:`,
 which can be done easily with `usethis::use_package()`.