diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2f6a655..5d2e725 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
 run: build
 	./go-deb --repo go.wit.com/apps/autotypist
 
+vet:
+	@GO111MODULE=off go vet
+	@echo this go library package builds okay
+
 no-gui: build
 	./go-deb --no-gui --repo go.wit.com/apps/autotypist
 
diff --git a/buildPackage.go b/buildPackage.go
index a75634e..b45f0d6 100644
--- a/buildPackage.go
+++ b/buildPackage.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
-func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() error {
+func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() (bool, error) {
 	// TODO: if dirty, set GO111MODULE
 	// also, if last tag != version
 	/*
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() error {
 
 	filename := c.Package.String()
 	if filename == "" {
-		return errors.New("filename is blank")
+		return false, errors.New("filename is blank")
 	}
 
 	homeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return false, err
 	}
 
 	arch := c.Architecture.String()
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() error {
 		version = "0.0.0"
 	}
 	debname := filename + "_" + version + "_" + arch + ".deb"
+	fulldebname := filepath.Join(homeDir, "incoming", debname)
+	if shell.Exists(fulldebname) {
+		return true, errors.New("debian package already built: " + fulldebname)
+	}
+
 	var fullfilename string
 	if args.Release {
 		fullfilename = filepath.Join(homeDir, "go/bin", filename)
@@ -53,7 +58,7 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() error {
 
 	if shell.Exists(fullfilename) {
 		// something wrong
-		return errors.New("binary existed before build")
+		return false, errors.New("binary existed before build")
 	}
 
 	if args.Release {
@@ -63,7 +68,7 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() error {
 		if shell.Run(cmd) {
 			log.Warn("go install worked")
 		} else {
-			return errors.New("go install")
+			return false, errors.New("go install")
 		}
 	} else {
 		// set the GO111 build var to true. pass the versions to the compiler manually
@@ -73,39 +78,39 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() error {
 		if shell.Run([]string{"go", "build", "-v", "-x", "-ldflags", vldflag, "-ldflags", gldflag}) {
 			log.Warn("go build worked")
 		} else {
-			return errors.New("go build")
+			return false, errors.New("go build")
 		}
 	}
 
 	if !shell.Exists(fullfilename) {
 		log.Warn("build failed. filename does not exist", fullfilename)
-		return errors.New("missing" + fullfilename)
+		return false, errors.New("missing" + fullfilename)
 	}
 
 	if shell.Exists("files") {
 		if shell.Run([]string{"rm", "-rf", "files"}) {
 			log.Warn("rm failed")
-			return errors.New("rm files/")
+			return false, errors.New("rm files/")
 		}
 	}
 	if shell.Exists("files") {
 		log.Warn("rm failed")
-		return errors.New("rm files/")
+		return false, errors.New("rm files/")
 	}
 	if !shell.Mkdir("files/DEBIAN") {
-		return errors.New("mkdir files/DEBIAN")
+		return false, errors.New("mkdir files/DEBIAN")
 	}
 	if !shell.Mkdir("files/usr/bin") {
 		log.Warn("mkdir failed")
-		return errors.New("mkdir files/usr/bin")
+		return false, errors.New("mkdir files/usr/bin")
 	}
 	if !shell.Run([]string{"cp", fullfilename, "files/usr/bin"}) {
 		log.Warn("cp failed")
-		return errors.New("cp " + fullfilename)
+		return false, errors.New("cp " + fullfilename)
 	}
 	if !shell.Run([]string{"strip", "files/usr/bin/" + filename}) {
 		log.Warn("strip failed")
-		return errors.New("strip " + filename)
+		return false, errors.New("strip " + filename)
 	}
 
 	// put the README in there (if missing, generate it?)
@@ -121,18 +126,20 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() error {
 	if readme != "" {
 		path := filepath.Join("files/usr/lib/" + filename)
 		if !shell.Mkdir(path) {
-			return errors.New("no files/usr/lib")
+			return false, errors.New("no files/usr/lib")
 		}
 		if !shell.Run([]string{"cp", readme, path}) {
-			return errors.New("cp readme")
+			return false, errors.New("cp readme")
 		}
 	}
 
 	if !c.writeFiles() {
-		return errors.New("write control file")
+		return false, errors.New("write control file")
 	}
 
 	// 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
 	if c.status.Exists("build") {
 		if args.Release {
 			os.Unsetenv("GO111MODULE")
@@ -142,17 +149,23 @@ func (c *controlBox) buildPackage() error {
 		shell.Run([]string{"./build"})
 	}
 
-	fulldebname := filepath.Join(homeDir, "incoming", debname)
-
 	shell.Run([]string{"dpkg-deb", "--build", "files", fulldebname})
 	if shell.Exists(fulldebname) {
 	} else {
 		log.Warn("build failed")
-		return errors.New("dpkg-deb --build worked")
+		return false, errors.New("dpkg-deb --build failed")
 	}
 	shell.Run([]string{"dpkg-deb", "-I", fulldebname})
 	shell.Run([]string{"dpkg-deb", "-c", fulldebname})
-	return nil
+
+	// cleanup files
+	if shell.Exists("files") {
+		if shell.Run([]string{"rm", "-rf", "files"}) {
+			log.Warn("rm failed")
+			return false, errors.New("rm files/")
+		}
+	}
+	return true, nil
 }
 
 func (c *controlBox) writeFiles() bool {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index fdc214e..4259608 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	if args.NoGui {
 		shell.TestTerminalColor()
-		if err := cBox.buildPackage(); err == nil {
+		if ok, err := cBox.buildPackage(); ok {
 			log.Info("build worked")
 		} else {
 			log.Warn("build failed:", err)
diff --git a/postinst b/postinst
index 1a24852..3f7ba5e 100755
--- a/postinst
+++ b/postinst
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/sh
+
+echo "in postinst. this is just a test"
diff --git a/stateWindow.go b/stateWindow.go
index cd68667..a87f415 100644
--- a/stateWindow.go
+++ b/stateWindow.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func makebasicWindow() *gadgets.BasicWindow {
 
 	group1.NewButton("Make .deb", func() {
 		basicWindow.Disable()
-		if err := cBox.buildPackage(); err == nil {
+		if ok, err := cBox.buildPackage(); ok {
 			log.Info("build worked")
 		} else {
 			log.Warn("build failed", err)