diff --git a/lib/git-helpers.js b/lib/git-helpers.js
index a6caf36f..a2fb34b4 100644
--- a/lib/git-helpers.js
+++ b/lib/git-helpers.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const url = require('url')
 const exec = require('child_process').execSync
 
 const _ = require('lodash')
+const DEBUG = process.env.GK_LOCK_DEBUG || false
 
 function setupRemote (info) {
   let remote = `git@github.com:${info.repoSlug}`
@@ -56,28 +57,35 @@ module.exports = {
     exec(`git stash`)
     exec(`git checkout ${defaultBranch}`)
 
+    DEBUG && console.log('sucessfully funged the git repo, so we can diff this branch against the default branch')
+
     const reset = () => exec(`git checkout -`)
 
     try {
       const gitShowCmd = `git show --oneline --name-only origin/${info.branchName}...${defaultBranch}`
       const grepCmd = `grep -E '(package-lock.json|npm-shrinkwrap.json|yarn.lock)'`
+      DEBUG && console.log(`about to run ${gitShowCmd} | ${grepCmd}`)
       exec(`${gitShowCmd} | ${grepCmd}`)
     } catch (e) {
       if (e.status === 1 &&
         e.stdout.toString() === '' &&
         e.stderr.toString() === '') { // grep didn’t find anything, and we are fine with that
         reset()
+        DEBUG && console.log('grep found no matching commits: ')
         return false // no commits
       } else if (e.status > 1) { // git or grep errored
         reset()
+        DEBUG && console.log('git or grep errored')
         throw e
       } else {
-        // git succeeded, grep failed to match anything, but no error occured, e.g.: no commit yet
+        // git succeeded, grep failed to match anything, but no error occured, i,e.: no commit yet
+        DEBUG && console.log('git succeeded, grep failed to match anything, but no error occured, i.e.: no commit yet')
         reset()
         return false
       }
     }
     // git succeeded, grep found a match, we have a commit already
+    DEBUG && console.log('git succeeded, grep foudn a match, we have a commit already')
     reset()
     return true
   },