diff --git a/prepareRelease.go b/prepareRelease.go
index e145a13..469fa3e 100644
--- a/prepareRelease.go
+++ b/prepareRelease.go
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/forgepb"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/gitpb"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
@@ -36,10 +39,21 @@ func forceReleaseVersion(repo *gitpb.Repo) {
 		repo.IncrementTargetMinor()
 	} else {
 		// if v1.2.3 change to v.1.2.4
-		repo.IncrementTargetRevision()
+		if repo.IncrementTargetRevision() {
+			// worked ok
+		} else {
+			log.Info("Failed to increment target revision", repo.GetFullPath())
+			os.Exit(-1)
+		}
 	}
 	// empty git notes
-	repo.Run([]string{"git", "notes", "remove"})
+	if result, err := repo.RunStrictNew([]string{"go-mod-clean", "--purge"}); err != nil {
+		log.Info("probably you don't have go-mod-clean")
+		log.Info(strings.Join(result.Stdout, "\n"))
+		log.Info(strings.Join(result.Stderr, "\n"))
+		repo.Run([]string{"git", "notes", "remove"})
+		os.Exit(-1)
+	}
 
 	if !runGoClean(repo, "--restore") {
 		log.Info("go-mod-clean probably failed here. that's ok", repo.GetGoPath())