diff --git a/cmd/gogitlabber/gitlab.go b/cmd/gogitlabber/gitlab.go
index 8174682..8a0f7d5 100644
--- a/cmd/gogitlabber/gitlab.go
+++ b/cmd/gogitlabber/gitlab.go
@@ -61,13 +61,15 @@ func checkoutRepositories(repositories []Repository) {
 
 		// create clone gitlab url
 		repoName := string(repo.PathWithNamespace)
-		gitlabUrl := fmt.Sprintf("https://gitlab-token:%s@%s/%s.git",
-			gitlabToken, gitlabHost, repoName)
+    gitlabUrl := fmt.Sprintf("https://gitlab-token:%s@%s/%s.git",
+      gitlabToken, 
+      gitlabHost, 
+      repoName)
 
 		// create repository destination
 		repoDestination := repoDestinationPre + repoName
 
-		// create bar description
+		// create and update bar description
 		descriptionPrefixPre := "Cloning repository "
 		descriptionPrefix := descriptionPrefixPre + repoName + " ..."
 		bar.Describe(descriptionPrefix)
diff --git a/cmd/gogitlabber/main.go b/cmd/gogitlabber/main.go
index 486c0c9..9112f01 100644
--- a/cmd/gogitlabber/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gogitlabber/main.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ var gitlabHost string
 var clonedCount int
 var errorCount int
 var pulledCount int
-var pullError int
 var pullErrorMsg []string
 
 type Repository struct {
@@ -26,6 +25,9 @@ func main() {
 	// manage all argument magic
 	manageArguments()
 
+  // check for git
+  verifyGitAvailable()
+
 	// fetch repository information from gitlab
 	repositories, err := fetchRepositories()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/gogitlabber/prerequisites.go b/cmd/gogitlabber/prerequisites.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..64f0924
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/gogitlabber/prerequisites.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+  "log"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+)
+
+func verifyGitAvailable() {
+	_, err := exec.LookPath("git")
+	if err != nil {
+    log.Fatalf("Error: could not find git in path")
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}