diff --git a/gitTag.common.go b/gitTag.common.go
index d349dea..43c0dbc 100644
--- a/gitTag.common.go
+++ b/gitTag.common.go
@@ -102,3 +102,31 @@ func (repo *Repo) IsLocalBranch(findname string) bool {
 	log.Log(INFO, "did not find tag:", findname, "in", repo.GetGoPath())
 	return false
 }
+
+// finds the newest tag. used for deciding if master needs to be published
+func (repo *Repo) FindLastTag() string {
+	var newest *GitTag
+	all := repo.Tags.All()
+	for all.Scan() {
+		tag := all.Next()
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(tag.GetRefname(), "refs/tags/") {
+			continue
+		}
+		if newest == nil {
+			newest = tag
+			continue
+		}
+		cur := newest.Creatordate.AsTime()
+		if cur.Before(tag.Creatordate.AsTime()) {
+			newest = tag
+		}
+		// newtag := strings.TrimPrefix(tag.GetRefname(), "refs/tags/")
+		// log.Info("repo tag", tag.GetHash(), tag.Creatordate.AsTime(), tag.GetRefname(), newtag)
+	}
+	if newest == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	// log.Info("repo newest tag", newest.GetHash(), newest.Creatordate.AsTime(), newest.GetRefname())
+	newtag := strings.TrimPrefix(newest.GetRefname(), "refs/tags/")
+	return newtag
+}
diff --git a/reload.go b/reload.go
index 47d5aa4..60f3e7e 100644
--- a/reload.go
+++ b/reload.go
@@ -58,30 +58,9 @@ func (repo *Repo) SetUserBranchName(bname string) {
 	repo.UserBranchName = bname
 }
 
-// updates LastTag // todo, get this from the protobuf
+// updates LastTag by age
 func (repo *Repo) setLastTag() {
-	cmd := []string{"git", "rev-list", "--tags", "--max-count=1"}
-	result, _ := repo.RunQuiet(cmd)
-	// log.Info("getLastTagVersion()", result.Stdout)
-
-	if len(result.Stdout) != 1 {
-		// log.Log(WARN, "no gitpb.LastTag() repo is broken. ignore this.", repo.GetGoPath())
-		repo.LastTag = ""
-		return
-	}
-
-	hash := result.Stdout[0]
-
-	cmd = []string{"git", "describe", "--tags", "--always", hash}
-	result, _ = repo.RunQuiet(cmd)
-
-	if len(result.Stdout) != 1 {
-		log.Log(WARN, "git LastTag() error:", result.Stdout, "hash =", hash)
-		repo.LastTag = ""
-		return
-	}
-
-	repo.LastTag = result.Stdout[0]
+	repo.LastTag = repo.FindLastTag()
 }
 
 func (repo *Repo) setCurrentBranchName() {