diff --git a/pullpal/common.go b/pullpal/common.go
index 256f528..b694edc 100644
--- a/pullpal/common.go
+++ b/pullpal/common.go
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ func (p pullPalRepo) checkIssuesAndComments() error {
 		if err != nil {
 			// TODO leave comment if error (make configurable)
 			p.log.Error("error handling issue", zap.Error(err))
-			commentText := fmt.Sprintf("I ran into a problem working on this:\n```\n%w\n```", err)
+			commentText := fmt.Sprintf("I ran into a problem working on this:\n```\n%s\n```", err.Error())
 			err = p.ghClient.CommentOnIssue(issue.Number, commentText)
 			if err != nil {
 				p.log.Error("error commenting on issue with error", zap.Error(err))
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ func (p pullPalRepo) checkIssuesAndComments() error {
 		if err != nil {
 			// TODO leave comment if error (make configurable)
 			p.log.Error("error handling comment", zap.Error(err))
-			commentText := fmt.Sprintf("I ran into a problem working on this:\n```\n%w\n```", err)
+			commentText := fmt.Sprintf("I ran into a problem working on this:\n```\n%s\n```", err.Error())
 			err = p.ghClient.RespondToComment(comment.PRNumber, comment.ID, commentText)
 			if err != nil {
 				p.log.Error("error commenting on thread with error", zap.Error(err))
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ func (p *pullPalRepo) handleIssue(issue vc.Issue) error {
 
 	changeRequest, err := p.localGitClient.ParseIssueAndStartCommit(issue)
 	if err != nil {
+		p.log.Error("error parsing issue and starting commit", zap.Error(err))
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/vc/git.go b/vc/git.go
index cb76730..f776652 100644
--- a/vc/git.go
+++ b/vc/git.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 
 // LocalGitClient represents a service that interacts with a local git repository.
 type LocalGitClient struct {
+	log  *zap.Logger
 	self Author
 	repo Repository
 
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ type LocalGitClient struct {
 }
 
 // NewLocalGitClient initializes a local git client by checking out a repository locally.
-func NewLocalGitClient( /*ctx context.Context, */ log *zap.Logger, self Author, repo Repository) (*LocalGitClient, error) {
+func NewLocalGitClient(log *zap.Logger, self Author, repo Repository) (*LocalGitClient, error) {
 	log.Info("checking out local github repo", zap.String("repo name", repo.Name), zap.String("local path", repo.LocalPath))
 	// clone provided repository to local path
 	if repo.LocalPath == "" {
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ func NewLocalGitClient( /*ctx context.Context, */ log *zap.Logger, self Author,
 	repo.localRepo = localRepo
 
 	return &LocalGitClient{
+		log:  log,
 		self: self,
 		repo: repo,
 	}, nil
@@ -78,17 +80,19 @@ func (gc *LocalGitClient) CheckoutRemoteBranch(branchName string) (err error) {
 	}
 
 	// Pull the latest changes from the remote branch
-	err = gc.worktree.Pull(&git.PullOptions{
-		RemoteName: "origin",
-		Auth: &http.BasicAuth{
-			Username: gc.self.Handle,
-			Password: gc.self.Token,
-		},
-	})
-	if err != nil && err != git.NoErrAlreadyUpToDate {
-		return err
-	}
-
+	/*
+		err = gc.worktree.Pull(&git.PullOptions{
+			RemoteName: "origin",
+			Auth: &http.BasicAuth{
+				Username: gc.self.Handle,
+				Password: gc.self.Token,
+			},
+			Force: true,
+		})
+		if err != nil && err != git.NoErrAlreadyUpToDate {
+			return err
+		}
+	*/
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -234,11 +238,13 @@ func (gc *LocalGitClient) ParseIssueAndStartCommit(issue Issue) (llm.CodeChangeR
 	// start a worktree
 	err := gc.StartCommit()
 	if err != nil {
+		gc.log.Error("error starting commit", zap.Error(err))
 		return changeRequest, err
 	}
 
 	err = gc.CheckoutRemoteBranch(issueBody.BaseBranch)
 	if err != nil {
+		gc.log.Error("error checking out remote branch", zap.Error(err))
 		return changeRequest, err
 	}
 
@@ -247,6 +253,7 @@ func (gc *LocalGitClient) ParseIssueAndStartCommit(issue Issue) (llm.CodeChangeR
 	for _, path := range issueBody.FilePaths {
 		nextFile, err := gc.GetLocalFile(path)
 		if err != nil {
+			gc.log.Error("error getting local file", zap.Error(err))
 			return changeRequest, err
 		}
 		files = append(files, nextFile)