diff --git a/doRelease.go b/doRelease.go
index 9b69d3f..6a9a7f9 100644
--- a/doRelease.go
+++ b/doRelease.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -11,8 +12,8 @@ import (
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
 
-func doRelease() bool {
-	log.Info("doRelease() on", me.current.Name())
+func doRelease(w http.ResponseWriter) bool {
+	msg(w, "doRelease() on", me.current.Name())
 	// double check release version logic
 	if me.release.releaseVersionB.String() != "release version "+me.release.version.String() {
 		log.Warn("something went wrong with the release.version:", me.release.version.String())
diff --git a/http.go b/http.go
index 791392c..003d3b9 100644
--- a/http.go
+++ b/http.go
@@ -17,14 +17,18 @@ func cleanURL(url string) string {
 }
 
 // send stuff to the socket and stdout
-func msg(w http.ResponseWriter, s string) {
-	log.Info(s)
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, s)
+func msg(w http.ResponseWriter, a ...any) {
+	if w == nil {
+		log.Info(a)
+	} else {
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, a)
+	}
 }
 
 func okHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	var route string
 	route = cleanURL(r.URL.Path)
+	log.HttpMode(w)
 
 	// common http args that can be set
 	repoName := r.URL.Query().Get("repo")
@@ -62,7 +66,7 @@ func okHandler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		}
 	case "/doRelease":
 		buttonDisable()
-		if doRelease() {
+		if doRelease(w) {
 			buttonEnable()
 			msg(w, "doRelease() worked")
 		} else {
diff --git a/releaseBox.go b/releaseBox.go
index a3e0849..8bddd26 100644
--- a/releaseBox.go
+++ b/releaseBox.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func createReleaseBox(box *gui.Node) {
 
 	me.release.releaseVersionB = me.release.grid.NewButton("release version", func() {
 		buttonDisable()
-		if doRelease() {
+		if doRelease(nil) {
 			buttonEnable()
 			log.Info("doRelease() worked")
 		} else {
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func createReleaseBox(box *gui.Node) {
 		// incase something, somewhere, goes wrong
 		duration := repolist.TimeFunction(func() {
 			for n := 0; n <= len(me.repos.View.AllRepos()); n++ {
-				if doRelease() {
+				if doRelease(nil) {
 					log.Info("doRelease() worked")
 				} else {
 					if me.release.status.String() == "ALL DONE?" {