diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3a98777
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"go.wit.com/lib/config"
+	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/forgepb"
+)
+
+// sent via -ldflags
+
+func configInit() (*forgepb.ForgeConfigs, error) {
+	configs := new(forgepb.ForgeConfigs)
+	err := config.ConfigLoad(configs, "forge", "forge")
+	return configs, err
+}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 2818d1f..1fe56b7 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -37,9 +37,14 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	log.Info("go-mod-clean version", VERSION, "built on", BUILDTIME)
+
 	// load the ~/.config/forge/ config
-	// this lets you configure repos you have read/write access too
-	forge = forgepb.InitPB() // todo: make this scan only if pb file not found
+	cfg, err := configInit()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Info("This tool requires your repos be scanned by forge first")
+		badExit(nil, err)
+	}
+	forge = forgepb.InitFromConfig(cfg)
 
 	// figure out what directory we are running in
 	check = findPwdRepo()