diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index 057f967..f2abb8b 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ type args struct {
 	Pull      bool   `arg:"--git-pull"   default:"false"   help:"run 'git pull'"`
 	Build     bool   `arg:"--build"      default:"true"    help:"try to build it after clone"`
 	Install   bool   `arg:"--install"    default:"false"   help:"try to install it after clone"`
+	Ignore    bool   `arg:"--ignore"     default:"false"   help:"ignore weird clone errors from non-standard repos"`
 	// Fetch     bool   `arg:"--git-fetch"      default:"false" help:"run 'git fetch' on all your repos"`
 }
 
diff --git a/clone.go b/clone.go
index 4c1a1ac..91edf62 100644
--- a/clone.go
+++ b/clone.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 
@@ -99,15 +100,27 @@ func recursiveClone(check *gitpb.Repo) error {
 	}
 	log.Info("got", good, "repos", "failed on", bad, "repos")
 	if bad != 0 {
+		log.Info("clone() ERROR len(badmap)", len(badmap))
 		for gopath, err := range badmap {
-			log.Info("clone() error", gopath, err)
+			log.Info("clone() ERROR", gopath, err)
+		}
+		if !argv.Ignore {
+			return errors.New("clone failed on some repos")
 		}
-		return errors.New("clone failed on some repos")
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 func makeValidGoSum(check *gitpb.Repo) error {
+	if check.Exists("go.mod") {
+		if err := check.SetPrimitive(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	if check.GoPrimitive {
+		log.Info(check.GoPath, "is a golang primitive! no need to parse go.sum because there is not one!")
+		return nil
+	}
 	// first try to generate go.mod & go.sum with go-mod-clean
 	if err := check.ValidGoSum(); err != nil {
 		log.Info("try running go-mod-clean")
@@ -126,14 +139,24 @@ func makeValidGoSum(check *gitpb.Repo) error {
 		if err := check.RunStrict(cmd); err != nil {
 			log.Info("go mod init failed", err)
 		}
+		if check.Exists("go.mod") {
+			if err := check.SetPrimitive(); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+		if check.GoPrimitive {
+			log.Info(check.GoPath, "is a golang primitive! no need to parse go.sum because there is not one!")
+			return nil
+		}
 		if err := check.RunStrict([]string{"go", "mod", "tidy"}); err != nil {
 			log.Info("go mod tidy failed", err)
 		}
+		panic("fucknuts")
 	}
 	if err := check.ValidGoSum(); err != nil {
 		// have to give up. can't recursive clone without go.mod file
 		log.Info("could not generate valid go.sum file")
-		return err
+		return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("could have been %v", err))
 	}
 	check.ParseGoSum()
 	return nil