diff --git a/common.go b/common.go
index 8895542..8b88913 100644
--- a/common.go
+++ b/common.go
@@ -70,6 +70,14 @@ func (rs *RepoStatus) IsProtobuf() (bool, []string, error) {
 
 // returns the filesystem path to the repo
 func (rs *RepoStatus) Path() string {
+	if rs == nil {
+		log.Warn("rs == nil")
+		return ""
+	}
+	if rs.realPath == nil {
+		log.Warn("rs.realPath == nil")
+		return ""
+	}
 	return rs.realPath.String()
 }
 
diff --git a/unix.go b/unix.go
index 6d90676..d4d48de 100644
--- a/unix.go
+++ b/unix.go
@@ -221,6 +221,10 @@ func IsDirectory(path string) bool {
 }
 
 func (rs *RepoStatus) Exists(filename string) bool {
+	if rs == nil {
+		log.Warn("rs == nil for Exists()")
+		panic(-1)
+	}
 	testf := filepath.Join(rs.Path(), filename)
 	if Exists(testf) {
 		return true