diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f017f12..6e823cb 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ BUILDTIME = $(shell date +%Y.%m.%d_%H%M)
 all: build
 
 build: goimports
-	GO111MODULE=off go build -v -x \
+	PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/opt/libgit2/ GO111MODULE=off go build -v -x \
 		-ldflags "-X main.VERSION=${VERSION} -X main.BUILDTIME=${BUILDTIME} -X gui.GUIVERSION=${VERSION}"
-	./going2git -h
+	ldd going2git
+	./going2git --refs --repo .
 
 vet:
 	GO111MODULE=off go vet
diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index 7e968e2..904735d 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 var argv args
 
 type args struct {
-	Repo     string `arg:"--repo" default:"./"             help:"what .git repo to use?"`
+	RepoPath string `arg:"--repo" default:"./"             help:"path to the .git repo"`
 	Hostname string `arg:"--hostname"                      help:"hostname to use"`
 	Refs     bool   `arg:"--refs"                          help:"list the git ref hashes"`
 }
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..02da893
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package main
+
+// are sent via -ldflags at buildtime
+var VERSION string
+var BUILDTIME string
+
+func main() {
+	if argv.Refs {
+		showRefs()
+	} else {
+		testMessage()
+	}
+}
diff --git a/message.go b/message.go
index 7c5954a..00131b5 100644
--- a/message.go
+++ b/message.go
@@ -7,22 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
-// are sent via -ldflags at buildtime
-var VERSION string
-var BUILDTIME string
-
-func main() {
-	if argv.Refs {
-		showRefs()
-	} else {
-		testMessage()
-	}
-}
-
-func showRefs() {
-	log.Info("how do you do this with libgit2 and git2go? notsure.")
-}
-
 func testMessage() {
 	var input git.Trailer
 
diff --git a/refs.go b/refs.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8558029
--- /dev/null
+++ b/refs.go
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+
+	git "go.wit.com/lib/libgit2"
+	"go.wit.com/log"
+)
+
+func showRefs() error {
+	log.Info("how do you do this with libgit2 and git2go? notsure.")
+	repo, err := git.OpenRepository(argv.RepoPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Info("open failed", argv.RepoPath, err)
+		return err
+	}
+	ref, err := repo.Head()
+	log.Info("head", ref, err, ref.Name())
+	fmt.Printf("%+v\n", ref)
+	walkRepo(repo)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func walkRepo(repo *git.Repository) {
+	ri, err := repo.NewReferenceIterator()
+	exitIf(err)
+
+	for {
+		ref, err := ri.Next()
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Info("done", err)
+			return
+		}
+		log.Info("head", ref, err, ref.Name(), ref.SymbolicTarget(), ref.Shorthand())
+		// fmt.Printf("%+v\n", ref)
+		// SymbolicTarget()
+	}
+}
+
+func exitIf(err error) {
+	if err == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	log.Info("exit due to error", err)
+	os.Exit(-1)
+}