diff --git a/lib/ulib/runsmod b/lib/ulib/runsmod
index b2674e9..7f606a9 100644
--- a/lib/ulib/runsmod
+++ b/lib/ulib/runsmod
@@ -375,10 +375,15 @@ function __runsmod_clone_or_pull() {
             mkdirof "$repodir"
             git clone ${RUNSMOD_SHALLOW:+--depth 1} "$repourl" "$repodir" || return $?
             if [ "$RUNSMOD_MODE" == devel ]; then
-                ( cd "$repodir"; git_have_rbranch develop && git checkout develop ) || return $?
+                (
+                    cd "$repodir"
+                    if git_have_rbranch develop; then
+                        git checkout develop || exit 1
+                    fi
+                ) || return $?
             fi
             git_annex_initial "$repodir" || return $?
-            return $?
+            return 0
         else
             estepe "noclone $(ppath "$repodir")"
             return 1
diff --git a/uproject b/uproject
index 9e48dbc..9d0e14d 100755
--- a/uproject
+++ b/uproject
@@ -274,7 +274,12 @@ elif [ "$CMD" == clone ]; then
 
     git_annex_use_ssh_wrapper
     git clone "$repourl" "$destdir" || die
-    ( cd "$destdir"; git_have_rbranch develop && git checkout develop ) || die
+    (
+        cd "$destdir"
+        if git_have_rbranch develop; then
+            git checkout develop || exit 1
+        fi
+    ) || die
     git_annex_initial "$destdir" || die
 
 elif [ "$CMD" == crone ]; then