diff --git a/prjgit-updater/main.go b/prjgit-updater/main.go
index 114d29a..a66fd7a 100644
--- a/prjgit-updater/main.go
+++ b/prjgit-updater/main.go
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ func processConfiguredPushAction(action *common.PushWebhookEvent, config *common
 
 	if len(config.Branch) == 0 {
 		config.Branch = action.Repository.Default_Branch
+		log.Println("  + default branch", action.Repository.Default_Branch)
 	}
 
 	prjGitRepo, err := gitea.CreateRepositoryIfNotExist(git, *action.Repository.Owner, prjgit)
@@ -193,7 +194,7 @@ func processConfiguredPushAction(action *common.PushWebhookEvent, config *common
 		}
 	}
 
-	log.Println("push of refs the configured branch", config.Branch, ". ignoring.")
+	log.Println("push of refs not on the configured branch", config.Branch, ". ignoring.")
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -316,7 +317,9 @@ next_repo:
 		common.PanicOnError(git.GitExec(config.GitProjectName, "submodule", "--quiet", "add", "--depth", "1", r.SSHURL, r.Name))
 
 		if len(config.Branch) > 0 {
-			common.PanicOnError(git.GitExec(path.Join(config.GitProjectName, r.Name), "fetch", "--depth", "1", "origin", config.Branch+":"+config.Branch))
+			if err := git.GitExec(path.Join(config.GitProjectName, r.Name), "fetch", "--depth", "1", "origin", config.Branch+":"+config.Branch); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("Fetching branch %s for %s/%s failed. Ignoring.", config.Branch, repo.Owner.UserName, r.Name)
+			}
 			common.PanicOnError(git.GitExec(path.Join(config.GitProjectName, r.Name), "checkout", config.Branch))
 		}