diff --git a/branches.go b/branches.go
index 192e4e3..46ea091 100644
--- a/branches.go
+++ b/branches.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package gitpb
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -9,18 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
-// returns true if 'git pull' will work
-func (repo *Repo) IsBranchRemote(branchname string) bool {
-	if branchname == "" {
-		return false
-	}
-	if repo.Exists(filepath.Join(".git/refs/remotes/origin", branchname)) {
-		// todo: actually use .git/config
-		return true
-	}
-	return false
-}
-
 // returns true if 'git pull' will work
 func (repo *Repo) ExistsUserBranchRemote() bool {
 	branchname := repo.GetUserBranchName()
@@ -40,11 +29,7 @@ func (repo *Repo) ExistsUserBranch() bool {
 		// todo: actually use .git/config
 		return true
 	}
-	if repo.Exists(filepath.Join(".git/refs/remote/origin", branchname)) {
-		// todo: actually use .git/config
-		return true
-	}
-	return false
+	return repo.IsBranchRemote(branchname)
 }
 
 // returns true if the devel branch exists
@@ -57,11 +42,7 @@ func (repo *Repo) ExistsDevelBranch() bool {
 		// todo: actually use .git/config
 		return true
 	}
-	if repo.Exists(filepath.Join(".git/refs/remote/origin", branchname)) {
-		// todo: actually use .git/config
-		return true
-	}
-	return false
+	return repo.IsBranchRemote(branchname)
 }
 
 func (repo *Repo) GetBranchHash(branchname string) string {
@@ -146,3 +127,22 @@ func (repo *Repo) GetTagHash(t string) string {
 
 	return result.Stdout[0]
 }
+
+// deletes the devel local branch if it is a subset of the remote devel branch
+func (repo *Repo) DeleteLocalDevelBranch() error {
+	branch := repo.GetDevelBranchName()
+	remote := filepath.Join("origin", branch)
+
+	if !repo.IsDevelRemote() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("no remote branch")
+	}
+	b1 := repo.CountDiffObjects(branch, remote) // should be zero
+	if b1 == 0 {
+		cmd := []string{"git", "branch", "-D", repo.GetDevelBranchName()}
+		log.Info("DEVEL IS IN REMOTE", repo.GetGoPath(), cmd)
+		err := repo.RunVerbose(cmd)
+		return err
+	} else {
+		return fmt.Errorf("local branch has patches not in remote")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/gitTag.common.go b/gitTag.common.go
index a4c7696..d349dea 100644
--- a/gitTag.common.go
+++ b/gitTag.common.go
@@ -21,6 +21,23 @@ func (repo *Repo) DevelHash() string {
 	return ""
 }
 
+// this is the correct way. uses 'git show-ref'
+func (repo *Repo) IsBranchRemote(brname string) bool {
+	if repo.Tags == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	brname = "refs/remotes/origin/" + brname
+	ref := repo.Tags.FindByRefname(brname)
+	if ref == nil {
+		// log.Info("did not found refname!!!!!!!!", brname)
+		return false
+	}
+	// log.Info("found refname!!!!!!!!")
+	return true
+}
+
+// this is the correct way. uses 'git show-ref'
 func (repo *Repo) IsDevelRemote() bool {
 	if repo.Tags == nil {
 		return false
@@ -30,10 +47,10 @@ func (repo *Repo) IsDevelRemote() bool {
 	refname := "refs/remotes/origin/" + devname
 	ref := repo.Tags.FindByRefname(refname)
 	if ref == nil {
-		log.Info("did not found refname!!!!!!!!", refname)
+		// log.Info("did not found refname!!!!!!!!", refname)
 		return false
 	}
-	log.Info("found refname!!!!!!!!")
+	// log.Info("found refname!!!!!!!!")
 	return true
 }