diff --git a/prepareRelease.go b/prepareRelease.go
index 796a4ca..e145a13 100644
--- a/prepareRelease.go
+++ b/prepareRelease.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"os"
-
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/forgepb"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/gitpb"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
@@ -45,7 +43,7 @@ func forceReleaseVersion(repo *gitpb.Repo) {
 
 	if !runGoClean(repo, "--restore") {
 		log.Info("go-mod-clean probably failed here. that's ok", repo.GetGoPath())
-		os.Exit(-1)
+		// os.Exit(-1)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -62,6 +60,19 @@ func rePrepareRelease() {
 		// set the target version to the current master version
 		lastTag := check.GetLastTag()
 		check.SetTargetVersion(lastTag)
+		if me.forge.Config.IsReadOnly(check.GetGoPath()) {
+			// can't release readonly repos
+			continue
+		}
+		if me.forge.Config.IsPrivate(check.GetGoPath()) {
+			// can't release readonly repos
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if !runGoClean(check, "--restore") {
+			log.Info("go-mod-clean probably failed here. that's ok", check.GetGoPath())
+			// os.Exit(-1)
+		}
 	}
 
 	all = me.forge.Repos.SortByFullPath()