diff --git a/repoNew.go b/repoNew.go
index c6cb8be..1e6c7d4 100644
--- a/repoNew.go
+++ b/repoNew.go
@@ -28,7 +28,13 @@ func (f *Forge) VerifyBranchNames(newr *gitpb.Repo) {
 		} else if newr.IsBranch("main") {
 			newr.SetMasterBranchName("main")
 		} else {
-			newr.SetMasterBranchName("masterFIXME")
+			// todo, figure out the name from git
+			newr.SetMasterBranchName("master")
+			if newr.CheckoutMaster() {
+			} else {
+				cmd := []string{"git", "branch", "master"}
+				newr.Run(cmd)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -42,7 +48,13 @@ func (f *Forge) VerifyBranchNames(newr *gitpb.Repo) {
 		} else if newr.IsBranch("devel") {
 			newr.SetDevelBranchName("devel")
 		} else {
-			newr.SetDevelBranchName("develFIXME")
+			// forcing for now. todo: warn users
+			newr.SetDevelBranchName("devel")
+			if newr.CheckoutDevel() {
+			} else {
+				cmd := []string{"git", "branch", "devel"}
+				newr.Run(cmd)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -52,7 +64,13 @@ func (f *Forge) VerifyBranchNames(newr *gitpb.Repo) {
 		if newr.IsBranch(uname) {
 			newr.SetUserBranchName(uname)
 		} else {
-			newr.SetUserBranchName(uname + "FIXME")
+			// forcing for now. todo: warn users
+			newr.SetUserBranchName(uname)
+			if newr.CheckoutUser() {
+			} else {
+				cmd := []string{"git", "branch", uname}
+				newr.Run(cmd)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }