diff --git a/cmd/pull.go b/cmd/pull.go
index 3066a96..c6cf582 100644
--- a/cmd/pull.go
+++ b/cmd/pull.go
@@ -41,11 +41,7 @@ var pullCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 		gitPull := models.AllCommands["gitPull"]
 		gitPull.Arguments = append(gitPull.Arguments, string(branch))
-		cmdOut, cmdErr = utils.RunCommand(gitPull.Name, gitPull.Arguments, "")
-		if cmdErr != nil {
-			utils.LogFatal(cmdErr)
-		}
-		utils.LogOutput(cmdOut)
+		utils.RunCommand(gitPull.Name, gitPull.Arguments, "")
 
 	},
 }
diff --git a/cmd/push.go b/cmd/push.go
index de54596..5f3783d 100644
--- a/cmd/push.go
+++ b/cmd/push.go
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ var pushCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Long:  "Push local branch changes to remote. Similar to `git push`. Example usage: okgit ps",
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 
+		// do a git pull first
+		pullCmd.Run(cmd, args)
+
 		gitPush := models.AllCommands["gitPush"]
 		cmdOut, cmdErr := utils.RunCommand(gitPush.Name, gitPush.Arguments, "")
 		if cmdErr != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 1995918..0853f70 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	// Uncomment the following line if your bare application
 	// has an action associated with it:
 	// Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) { },
-	Version: "1.0.8",
+	Version: "1.0.9",
 }
 
 // Execute adds all child commands to the root command and sets flags appropriately.
diff --git a/cmd/start.go b/cmd/start.go
index f355796..d9dfa2f 100644
--- a/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/start.go
@@ -26,7 +26,19 @@ var startCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		if err != nil {
 			utils.LogFatal(err)
 		}
-		if len(res) == 0 {
+
+		splitRes := strings.Split(res, "\n")
+		branchPresent := false
+		for _, line := range splitRes {
+			trimmed := strings.TrimSpace(line)
+			trimmed = strings.TrimPrefix(trimmed, "* ")
+			if trimmed == branch {
+				branchPresent = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+
+		if !branchPresent {
 			createBranch := models.AllCommands["createBranch"]
 			createBranch.Arguments = append(createBranch.Arguments, branch)
 			cmdOut, cmdErr := utils.RunCommand(createBranch.Name, createBranch.Arguments, "")
@@ -41,11 +53,8 @@ var startCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		gitPull := models.AllCommands["gitPull"]
 		gitPull.Arguments = append(gitPull.Arguments, branch)
 
-		msg, err1 := utils.RunCommand(gitPull.Name, gitPull.Arguments, "")
-		if err1 != nil {
-			utils.LogFatal(err1)
-		}
-		utils.LogOutput(msg)
+		utils.RunCommand(gitPull.Name, gitPull.Arguments, "")
+
 	},
 }