diff --git a/globalDisplayOptions.go b/globalDisplayOptions.go
index 83a69d9..fe37833 100644
--- a/globalDisplayOptions.go
+++ b/globalDisplayOptions.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ func globalDisplayOptions(vbox *gui.Node) {
 			os.Unsetenv("AUTOTYPIST_READONLY")
 		}
 	}
+	os.Setenv("AUTOTYPIST_READONLY", "hide")
 
 	me.autoHidePerfect = group1.NewCheckbox("Hide Perfectly clean repos").SetChecked(true)
 	me.autoHidePerfect.Custom = func() {
@@ -39,6 +40,8 @@ func globalDisplayOptions(vbox *gui.Node) {
 			os.Unsetenv("AUTOTYPIST_CLEAN")
 		}
 	}
+	os.Setenv("AUTOTYPIST_CLEAN", "hide")
+
 	scanbox := group1.Box().Horizontal()
 	me.autoScanReposCB = scanbox.NewCheckbox("auto scan").SetChecked(true)
 	me.autoScanReposCB.Custom = func() {
diff --git a/hideFunction.go b/hideFunction.go
index 9115026..c9dddcb 100644
--- a/hideFunction.go
+++ b/hideFunction.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/repolist"
+	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
 // like tcl/tk, use ENV variables to set display preferences
@@ -17,8 +18,11 @@ func hideFunction(r *repolist.RepoRow) {
 	// hide read-only repos
 	if os.Getenv("AUTOTYPIST_READONLY") == "hide" {
 		if r.Status.ReadOnly() {
+			log.Info(r.Name(), "hiding read-only repo")
 			r.Hide()
 			return
+		} else {
+			log.Info(r.Name(), "not hiding read-only repo")
 		}
 	}