diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a72669c..7e46b2d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ build-go-gui-toolkits: build
 build-test-failure: build
 	./go-deb --release --no-gui --repo go.wit.com/apps/junk
 
+build-test-keep-files: build
+	./go-deb --no-gui --keep-files --repo go.wit.com/apps/go-deb
+
 build-all:
 	go-deb --no-gui --repo go.wit.com/apps/autotypist
 	go-deb --no-gui --repo go.wit.com/apps/control-panel-digitalocean
diff --git a/addRepo.go b/addRepo.go
index 9b6d0eb..6f6e7f4 100644
--- a/addRepo.go
+++ b/addRepo.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -59,6 +60,11 @@ func (c *controlBox) addRepo(path string) {
 		log.Info("path did not work", path, err)
 		return
 	}
+	if repo == nil {
+		log.Info("repo == nil", path, err)
+		os.Exit(-1)
+		return
+	}
 	c.status = repo
 	// c.status.SetMainWorkingName("master")
 	// c.status.SetDevelWorkingName("devel")
diff --git a/buildPackage.go b/buildPackage.go
index bf201c3..8c18df1 100644
--- a/buildPackage.go
+++ b/buildPackage.go
@@ -151,6 +151,10 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() (bool, error) {
 		shell.Run([]string{"cp", "postinst", "files/DEBIAN/"})
 	}
 
+	if c.status == nil {
+		log.Warn("c.status == nil")
+		panic(-1)
+	}
 	// experiment for the toolkit package
 	// if the git repo has a "./build" script run it before packaging
 	// this way the user can put custom files in the .deb package
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 4c239c0..921a787 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -47,8 +47,18 @@ func main() {
 	cBox.computeControlValues()
 	// verify the values for the package
 
+	if cBox.status == nil {
+		log.Info("argv.Repo =", argv.Repo)
+		log.Info("repo not found. Try:")
+		log.Info("")
+		log.Info("   go-clone", argv.Repo)
+		log.Info("")
+		os.Exit(-1)
+	}
+
 	if argv.NoGui {
 		shell.TestTerminalColor()
+		// basicWindow.Show() // broken gui package. convert to protobuf
 		if ok, err := cBox.buildPackage(); ok {
 			log.Info("build worked")
 		} else {