diff --git a/src/refractr.rs b/src/refractr.rs
index 9b3285e..87f99f3 100644
--- a/src/refractr.rs
+++ b/src/refractr.rs
@@ -91,10 +91,9 @@ impl Refractr {
   }
 
   fn fast_forward(&self, repo: &Repository, branches: &Vec<String>) -> Result<(), Error> {
-    common::verbose(self.verbose, 2, format!("Pulling origin"));
+    common::verbose(self.verbose, 2, format!("Fast forwarding repo"));
     let mut fo = FetchOptions::new();
     fo.download_tags(git2::AutotagOption::All);
-    repo.find_remote("origin")?.fetch(&branches, Some(&mut fo), None)?;
 
     for branch in branches {
       let refname = format!("refs/remotes/origin/{}", branch);
@@ -113,6 +112,7 @@ impl Refractr {
     ssh_key: &String,
     strict: bool,
   ) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    common::verbose(self.verbose, 2, format!("Fetching repo"));
     let mut fo = FetchOptions::new();
     if ssh {
       match self.set_up_ssh(ssh_key.clone(), strict.clone()) {
@@ -406,14 +406,51 @@ impl Refractr {
             repo_dir
           ));
           match Repository::open(Path::new(&repo_dir)) {
-            Ok(r) => match self.fast_forward(&r, &cfg.config.branches) {
-              Ok(_) => r,
-              Err(e) => {
-                return Err(ReturnData {
-                  code: ExitCode::RepositoryError,
-                  msg: format!("failed to fast forward existing repo: {}", e),
-                });
-              },
+            Ok(r) => {
+              if let Ok(rem) = r.find_remote("origin") {
+                match rem.url() {
+                  Some(url) => {
+                    if url != &cfg.config.from {
+                      return Err(ReturnData {
+                        code: ExitCode::RepositoryError,
+                        msg: format!(
+                          "existing repo's origin does not match 'from' value in config: {}",
+                          url
+                        ),
+                      });
+                    }
+                  },
+                  None => {
+                    return Err(ReturnData {
+                      code: ExitCode::RepositoryError,
+                      msg: format!("could not obtain existing repo's origin: {}", repo_dir),
+                    })
+                  },
+                }
+              }
+              // fetch updates for the repo
+              if let Err(e) = self.fetch(
+                &r,
+                &cfg.config.branches,
+                ssh,
+                &cfg.config.git.ssh_identity_file,
+                self.strict.clone(),
+              ) {
+                common::error(
+                  format!("failed to fetch repo {}: {}", cfg.config.from, e),
+                  ExitCode::FetchError,
+                );
+              }
+              // fast forward
+              match self.fast_forward(&r, &cfg.config.branches) {
+                Ok(_) => r,
+                Err(e) => {
+                  return Err(ReturnData {
+                    code: ExitCode::RepositoryError,
+                    msg: format!("failed to fast forward existing repo: {}", e),
+                  });
+                },
+              }
             },
             Err(e) => {
               return Err(ReturnData {
@@ -431,18 +468,6 @@ impl Refractr {
           ExitCode::RepositoryError,
         );
       }
-      if let Err(e) = self.fetch(
-        &repo,
-        &cfg.config.branches,
-        ssh,
-        &cfg.config.git.ssh_identity_file,
-        self.strict.clone(),
-      ) {
-        common::error(
-          format!("failed to fetch repo {}: {}", cfg.config.from, e),
-          ExitCode::FetchError,
-        );
-      }
 
       let remotes = match self.make_remotes(&repo, &cfg) {
         Ok(v) => v,