diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index cb23077..057f967 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ type args struct {
 	Repo      string `arg:"positional"                     help:"go import path"`
 	AutoWork  bool   `arg:"--work"       default:"false"   help:"recreate the go.work file"`
 	DryRun    bool   `arg:"--dry-run"                      help:"show what would be run"`
-	Recursive bool   `arg:"--recursive"  default:"false"   help:"resursively clone all dependencies"`
+	Recursive bool   `arg:"--recursive"  default:"false"   help:"recursively clone all dependencies"`
 	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"`
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ git clone go repositories
 
 Examples:
 	go-clone go.wit.com/apps/go-clone              # simply try to git clone this
-	go-clone --recursive go.wit.com/apps/go-clone  # recursively clone all the dependancies
+	go-clone --recursive go.wit.com/apps/go-clone  # recursively clone all the dependencies
 	go-clone --auto-work go.wit.com/apps/go-clone  # if you are using a go.work file, recreate the go.work file
 	go-clone --go-reset                            # recreate every go.mod and go.sum file
 	go-clone --git-pull                            # run 'git pull' in every repo
diff --git a/clone.go b/clone.go
index 4c7cac9..4c1a1ac 100644
--- a/clone.go
+++ b/clone.go
@@ -32,31 +32,9 @@ func clone(gopath string) (*gitpb.Repo, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// first try to generate go.mod & go.sum with go-mod-clean
-	if err := pb.ValidGoSum(); err != nil {
-		// update go.sum and go.mod
-		if err := pb.RunStrict([]string{"go-mod-clean"}); err != nil {
-			log.Info("")
-			log.Info("Do you have go-mod-clean? Otherwise:")
-			log.Info("  go install go.wit.com/apps/go-mod-clean@latest")
-			log.Info("")
-		}
-	}
-	// if this fails, just use go mod
-	if err := pb.ValidGoSum(); err != nil {
-		if err := pb.RunStrict([]string{"go", "mod", "init", pb.GoPath}); err != nil {
-			log.Info("go mod init failed", err)
-		}
-		if err := pb.RunStrict([]string{"go", "mod", "tidy"}); err != nil {
-			log.Info("go mod tidy failed", err)
-		}
-	}
-	if err := pb.ValidGoSum(); err != nil {
-		// have to give up. can't recursive clone without go.mod file
-		log.Info("could not generate valid go.sum file")
+	if err := makeValidGoSum(pb); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	pb.ParseGoSum()
 
 	// double check it actually downloaded
 	fullgitdir := filepath.Join(forge.GetGoSrc(), gopath, ".git")
@@ -128,3 +106,35 @@ func recursiveClone(check *gitpb.Repo) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+func makeValidGoSum(check *gitpb.Repo) error {
+	// 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")
+		// update go.sum and go.mod
+		if err := check.RunStrict([]string{"go-mod-clean"}); err != nil {
+			log.Info("")
+			log.Info("Do you have go-mod-clean? Otherwise:")
+			log.Info("  go install go.wit.com/apps/go-mod-clean@latest")
+			log.Info("")
+		}
+	}
+	// if this fails, just use go mod
+	if err := check.ValidGoSum(); err != nil {
+		cmd := []string{"go", "mod", "init", check.GoPath}
+		log.Info("try running", cmd)
+		if err := check.RunStrict(cmd); err != nil {
+			log.Info("go mod init failed", err)
+		}
+		if err := check.RunStrict([]string{"go", "mod", "tidy"}); err != nil {
+			log.Info("go mod tidy failed", err)
+		}
+	}
+	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
+	}
+	check.ParseGoSum()
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index b84987a..aded69d 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ func main() {
 	}
 	autoWork()
 	if argv.Build {
+		if err := makeValidGoSum(workingRepo); err != nil {
+			badExit(err)
+		}
 		if err := build(); err != nil {
 			badExit(err)
 		}