diff --git a/findNext.go b/findNext.go
index e78aeb3..a17364c 100644
--- a/findNext.go
+++ b/findNext.go
@@ -97,11 +97,12 @@ func findNext() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-// tries to fix the go.mod and go.sum files
-func fixGodeps(check *gitpb.Repo) bool {
-	var good bool = true
+func runGoClean(check *gitpb.Repo) bool {
 	// check if the package dependancies changed, if so, re-publish
+	check.GoDeps = nil
+
 	cmd := []string{"go-clean", "--auto"}
+	log.Info("Running", cmd, "in", check.GoPath)
 	result := check.RunRealtime(cmd)
 	if result.Error != nil {
 		log.Info(cmd, "failed with", result.Error, check.GoPath)
@@ -111,16 +112,24 @@ func fixGodeps(check *gitpb.Repo) bool {
 		log.Info(cmd, "failed with", result.Exit, check.GoPath)
 		return false
 	}
-	check.GoDeps = nil
+	if ok, err := check.ParseGoSum(); !ok {
+		log.Info("ParseGoSum() failed", err)
+		return false
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+// tries to fix the go.mod and go.sum files
+func fixGodeps(check *gitpb.Repo) bool {
+	var good bool = true
+	if !runGoClean(check) {
+		return false
+	}
 	// skip primative ones
 	if ok, _ := check.IsPrimitive(); ok {
 		log.Info("fixGoDeps() skipping primitive", check.GoPath)
 		return true
 	}
-	if ok, err := check.ParseGoSum(); !ok {
-		log.Info("ParseGoSum() failed", err)
-		return false
-	}
 	log.Printf("current repo %s go dependancy count: %d", check.GetGoPath(), check.GoDepsLen())
 	deps := check.GoDeps.SortByGoPath()
 	for deps.Scan() {
diff --git a/prepareRelease.go b/prepareRelease.go
index a50a8d7..26ce6da 100644
--- a/prepareRelease.go
+++ b/prepareRelease.go
@@ -29,15 +29,31 @@ func makePrepareRelease() {
 		check.SetTargetVersion(curver)
 	}
 
-	// on startup, run fixGoDeps() on every go.sum that didn't match
-	if argv.Fix {
-		all := me.forge.Repos.SortByGoPath()
-		for all.Scan() {
-			check := all.Next()
+	// run go-clean on everything not readonly
+	all = me.forge.Repos.SortByGoPath()
+	for all.Scan() {
+		check := all.Next()
 
-			if !me.forge.FinalGoDepsCheckOk(check) {
-				fixGodeps(check)
-			}
+		if me.forge.Config.IsReadOnly(check.GoPath) {
+			// can't release readonly repos
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if ok, err := check.IsPrimitive(); !ok {
+			log.Info("something wrong with", check.GoPath, err)
+			// no go.sum file for these
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if check.Exists("go.sum") {
+			// probably already ran
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if !runGoClean(check) {
+			log.Info("go-clean FAILED. THIS IS BAD.", check.GoPath)
+			log.Info("go-clean FAILED. THIS IS BAD.", check.GoPath)
+			log.Info("go-clean FAILED. THIS IS BAD.", check.GoPath)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -45,6 +61,10 @@ func makePrepareRelease() {
 	for all.Scan() {
 		check := all.Next()
 
+		if me.forge.Config.IsReadOnly(check.GoPath) {
+			// can't release readonly repos
+			continue
+		}
 		// if master != lastTag, always increment
 		master := check.GetMasterVersion()
 		lastTag := check.GetLastTag()