diff --git a/branches.go b/branches.go
index 46ea091..ed9bbf9 100644
--- a/branches.go
+++ b/branches.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ func (repo *Repo) ExistsUserBranchRemote() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+/*
 // returns true if the user branch exists
 func (repo *Repo) ExistsUserBranch() bool {
 	if repo.GetUserBranchName() == "" {
@@ -57,7 +58,9 @@ func (repo *Repo) GetBranchHash(branchname string) string {
 	}
 	return ""
 }
+*/
 
+/*
 func (repo *Repo) GetBranchVersion(branchname string) string {
 	if branchname == repo.GetUserBranchName() {
 		return "user"
@@ -82,6 +85,7 @@ func (repo *Repo) GetBranchVersion(branchname string) string {
 	}
 	return ""
 }
+*/
 
 func readRefHash(filename string) string {
 	data, _ := os.ReadFile(filename)
diff --git a/reloadRepoState.go b/reloadRepoState.go
index 7707c42..296d43d 100644
--- a/reloadRepoState.go
+++ b/reloadRepoState.go
@@ -23,14 +23,9 @@ func (repo *Repo) setRepoState() {
 		}
 	}
 	if repo.GetDevelVersion() != repo.GetMasterVersion() {
-		if !repo.ExistsDevelBranch() {
-			// there is no devel branch. you are safe to proceed
-			repo.State = "no devel branch"
-			return
-		}
 		if !repo.IsLocalBranch(repo.GetDevelBranchName()) {
 			// the remote devel branch exists but is not checked out
-			repo.State = "devel not checked out"
+			repo.State = "no devel branch"
 			return
 		}
 		b1 := repo.CountDiffObjects(repo.GetMasterBranchName(), repo.GetDevelBranchName())