diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e754bad..d7ba526 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
 
 all: goimports forgeConfig.pb.go uuid.pb.go patch.pb.go vet
 
+generate: clean
+	go-mod-clean
+	go generate
+
 vet:
 	@GO111MODULE=off go vet
 	@echo this go library package builds okay
diff --git a/build.go b/build.go
index 5cf94d6..a5e972a 100644
--- a/build.go
+++ b/build.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ func (f *Forge) Install(repo *gitpb.Repo, userFlags []string) error {
 	return f.doBuild(repo, userFlags, "install")
 }
 
+// userflags are intended for "-v" and "-x" right now
 func (f *Forge) doBuild(repo *gitpb.Repo, userFlags []string, goWhat string) error {
 	if repo == nil {
 		log.Warn("forge.doBuild repo == nil")
@@ -108,7 +109,9 @@ func (f *Forge) doBuild(repo *gitpb.Repo, userFlags []string, goWhat string) err
 			cmd = append(cmd, "-buildmode=plugin", "-o", soname)
 		}
 	}
-	cmd = append(cmd, "-v")
+	for _, flag := range userFlags {
+		cmd = append(cmd, flag)
+	}
 
 	// set standard ldflag options
 	now := time.Now()
@@ -120,13 +123,6 @@ func (f *Forge) doBuild(repo *gitpb.Repo, userFlags []string, goWhat string) err
 	ldflags += "-X main.GUIVERSION=" + version + "" // todo: git this from the filesystem
 	cmd = append(cmd, "-ldflags", ldflags)
 
-	// add any flags from the command line
-	// this might not actually work
-	// todo: test this
-	for _, flag := range userFlags {
-		cmd = append(cmd, "-ldflags", "-X "+flag)
-	}
-
 	testenv := os.Getenv("GO111MODULE")
 	if testenv == "off" {
 		log.Info("GO111MODULE=off", "f.goWork =", f.IsGoWork(), "f.gosrc =", f.GetGoSrc())
diff --git a/init.go b/init.go
index d3f95e4..a4763a9 100644
--- a/init.go
+++ b/init.go
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 package forgepb
 
+// go.wit.com/apps/autogenpb auto generates Sort() and Marshal() for protobuf files
+//go:generate autogenpb --proto forgeConfig.proto
+//go:generate autogenpb --proto uuid.proto
+//go:generate autogenpb --proto patch.proto
+
 import (
 	"os"
 	"os/user"