diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d40bac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+forge
+
+expiremental work on federated git
+
+/usr/share/git-gui/lib/tools/
+.git/config settings for gitgui
+[gui]
+	wmstate = normal
+	geometry = 931x515+450+130 197 234
+
diff --git a/applyPatch.go b/applyPatch.go
index 2824407..52713a9 100644
--- a/applyPatch.go
+++ b/applyPatch.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func IsValidPatch(p *forgepb.Patch) bool {
 func IsAnythingDirty() bool {
 	me.found = new(gitpb.Repos)
 	findAll() // select all the repos
-	doCheckDirty()
+	doCheckDirtyAndConfigSave()
 	me.found = new(gitpb.Repos)
 	findDirty()
 	if len(me.found.Repos) == 0 {
diff --git a/doCommon.go b/doCommon.go
index e7ecb70..a085587 100644
--- a/doCommon.go
+++ b/doCommon.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func doGitPull() {
 
 }
 
-func doCheckDirty() {
+func doCheckDirtyAndConfigSave() {
 	now := time.Now()
 	all := me.found.SortByFullPath()
 	for all.Scan() {
@@ -50,11 +50,22 @@ func doCheckDirty() {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	// doCobol()
 	log.Info("dirty check took:", shell.FormatDuration(time.Since(now)))
 	me.forge.SetConfigSave(configSave)
 }
 
+func IsEverythingOnDevel() bool {
+	all := me.forge.Repos.SortByFullPath()
+	for all.Scan() {
+		repo := all.Next()
+		if repo.GetCurrentBranchName() != repo.GetDevelBranchName() {
+			log.Info(repo.GetFullPath(), repo.GetCurrentBranchName(), repo.GetDevelBranchName())
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
 func doGitReset() {
 	all := me.found.SortByFullPath()
 	for all.Scan() {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 7895c6d..4cc6181 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func main() {
 	var done bool = false
 	if argv.Dirty != nil {
 		findAll() // select all the repos
-		doCheckDirty()
+		doCheckDirtyAndConfigSave()
 		me.found = new(gitpb.Repos)
 		findDirty()
 		doCobol()
diff --git a/windowPatches.go b/windowPatches.go
index 443103a..6f06637 100644
--- a/windowPatches.go
+++ b/windowPatches.go
@@ -192,6 +192,10 @@ func submitPatchesBox(box *gui.Node) *patchSummary {
 		if err != nil {
 			return
 		}
+		if !IsEverythingOnDevel() {
+			log.Info("You can only apply patches to the devel branch")
+			return
+		}
 		if IsAnythingDirty() {
 			log.Info("You can't apply patches when repos are dirty")
 			doCobol()