diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index ea02ec2..b868de3 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
     "name": "settings-repository",
-    "version": "2.0.1",
+    "version": "2.0.2",
     "lockfileVersion": 3,
     "requires": true,
     "packages": {
         "": {
             "name": "settings-repository",
-            "version": "2.0.1",
+            "version": "2.0.2",
             "license": "GPL-2.0-only",
             "devDependencies": {
                 "@types/adm-zip": "0.5.8",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index cdc7cdc..5b8dfe1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
         "theme": "dark"
     },
     "publisher": "Katsute",
-    "version": "2.0.1",
+    "version": "2.0.2",
     "private": true,
     "engines": {
         "vscode": "^1.110.0"
diff --git a/src/command/auth.ts b/src/command/auth.ts
index 6c176de..687a935 100644
--- a/src/command/auth.ts
+++ b/src/command/auth.ts
@@ -22,12 +22,14 @@ import * as fs from "fs";
 import * as os from "os";
 
 import { isNull, isValidJson } from "../lib/is";
+import * as config from "../config";
 import * as logger from "../logger";
 import * as files from "../lib/files";
 import { Crypt } from "../lib/encrypt";
 import * as extension from "../extension";
 import { Distribution } from "../distribution";
 import { CommandQuickPickItem } from "../lib/quickpick";
+import simpleGit from "simple-git";
 
 //
 
@@ -52,6 +54,11 @@ const crypt: Crypt = new Crypt(os.hostname());
 
 //
 
+const parseRepo: (repo: string, cred: credentials) => string = (repo: string, cred: credentials) => {
+    const part: string[] = repo.split("://");
+    return `${part[0]}://${cred.login}:${cred.auth}@${part.slice(1).join("://")}`;
+}
+
 export const mask: (s: string, c: credentials) => string = (s: string, c: credentials) => {
     return s.replace(new RegExp(c.auth, "gm"), "***");
 }
@@ -78,9 +85,27 @@ export const authenticate: () => void = () => {
                 if(value.trim().length === 0)
                     return "Token can not be blank";
             }
-        }).then((password?: string) => {
+        }).then(async (password?: string) => {
             if(!password) return;
 
+            const repo: string = config.get("repository");
+
+            if(repo){
+                const cred: credentials = { login: username, auth: password };
+                const remote: string = parseRepo(repo, cred);
+
+                const err = await simpleGit().listRemote([remote])
+                    .then(() => {
+                        logger.info(`Credentials are valid for ${repo}`);
+                    })
+                    .catch(e => {
+                        logger.error(`Failed to verify credentials for ${repo}:\n ${mask(String(e?.message ?? e), cred)}`, true);
+                        return e;
+                    });
+
+                if(err) return;
+            }
+
             const dist: Distribution = extension.distribution();
 
             logger.info(`Updated authentication: ${username}`);
@@ -91,7 +116,8 @@ export const authenticate: () => void = () => {
     "login": "${username}",
     "auth": "${crypt.encrypt(password)}"
 }`,
-                "utf-8");
+                "utf-8"
+            );
         });
     });
 }
diff --git a/src/command/local.ts b/src/command/local.ts
index 57f5cdf..2cc3a38 100644
--- a/src/command/local.ts
+++ b/src/command/local.ts
@@ -31,5 +31,5 @@ export const item: CommandQuickPickItem = {
 }
 
 export const command: vscode.Disposable = vscode.commands.registerCommand("settings-repository.overwriteLocal", () => {
-    config.get("repository") && pull(config.get("repository"));
+    config.get("repository") && pull(config.get("repository"), config.get("branch"));
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/command/remote.ts b/src/command/remote.ts
index be81f2b..c300ce0 100644
--- a/src/command/remote.ts
+++ b/src/command/remote.ts
@@ -31,5 +31,5 @@ export const item: CommandQuickPickItem = {
 }
 
 export const command: vscode.Disposable = vscode.commands.registerCommand("settings-repository.overwriteRemote", () => {
-    config.get("repository") && push(config.get("repository"));
+    config.get("repository") && push(config.get("repository"), config.get("branch"));
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/extension.ts b/src/extension.ts
index 3cc3266..ecd6423 100644
--- a/src/extension.ts
+++ b/src/extension.ts
@@ -68,16 +68,16 @@ export const activate: (context: vscode.ExtensionContext) => void = (context: vs
     logger.debug(`branch: ${config.get("branch")}`);
     logger.debug(`autoSync: ${config.get("autoSync")}`);
     logger.debug(`includeHostnameInCommitMessage: ${config.get("includeHostnameInCommitMessage")}`);
-    logger.debug(`authenticated: ${!!auth.authorization()}`);
+    logger.debug(`has credentials: ${!!auth.authorization()}`);
 
     if(config.get("autoSync") === true && config.get("autoSyncMode") !== "Export Only")
-        config.get("repository") && pull(config.get("repository"), true);
+        config.get("repository") && pull(config.get("repository"), config.get("branch"), true);
 }
 
 // must be async, otherwise vscode closes without waiting
 export const deactivate: () => Promise<void> = async () => {
     if(config.get("autoSync") === true && config.get("autoSyncMode") !== "Import Only")
-        config.get("repository") && await push(config.get("repository"), true);
+        config.get("repository") && await push(config.get("repository"), config.get("branch"), true);
 }
 
 export const notify: () => void = () => {
diff --git a/src/sync/git.ts b/src/sync/git.ts
index 09dd2ca..aebd4e6 100644
--- a/src/sync/git.ts
+++ b/src/sync/git.ts
@@ -47,13 +47,16 @@ const parseRepo: (repo: string, cred: auth.credentials) => string = (repo: strin
     return `${part[0]}://${cred.login}:${cred.auth}@${part.slice(1).join("://")}`;
 }
 
-export const pull: (repo: string, skipNotify?: boolean) => void = async (repo: string, skipNotify: boolean = false) => {
+export const pull: (repo: string, branch?: string, skipNotify?: boolean) => Promise<void> = async (repo: string, branch: string = "main", skipNotify: boolean = false) => {
     if(isNull(repo)) return;
 
     const dist: Distribution = extension.distribution();
     const cred: auth.credentials | undefined = auth.authorization();
 
-    if(!cred) return skipNotify || auth.authenticate();
+    if(!cred) {
+        skipNotify || auth.authenticate();
+        return;
+    }
 
     // init directory
 
@@ -65,13 +68,11 @@ export const pull: (repo: string, skipNotify?: boolean) => void = async (repo: s
 
     const remote: string = parseRepo(repo, cred);
 
-    const branch: string = config.get("branch") ?? "main";
-
     // callback
 
     const gitback: (err: GitError | null) => void = (err: GitError | null) => {
         if(err){
-            logger.error(`Failed to pull from ${config.get("repository")}:\n ${auth.mask(err.message, cred)}`, true);
+            logger.error(`Failed to pull from ${repo}@${branch}:\n ${auth.mask(err.message, cred)}`, true);
             cleanup(temp);
         }
     };
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ export const pull: (repo: string, skipNotify?: boolean) => void = async (repo: s
 
     statusbar.setActive(true);
 
-    logger.info(`Preparing to import settings from ${config.get("repository")}@${branch}`);
+    logger.info(`Preparing to import settings from ${repo}@${branch}`);
     logger.debug(`Git clone ${auth.mask(remote, cred)}`);
 
     // forced delay so git repo can get up-to-date after a fast reload/restart
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ export const pull: (repo: string, skipNotify?: boolean) => void = async (repo: s
                         logger.warn("Snippets not found");
                 }
 
-                logger.info(`Imported settings from ${config.get("repository")}@${branch}`, true);
+                logger.info(`Imported settings from ${repo}@${branch}`, true);
 
                 cleanup(temp);
 
@@ -156,13 +157,13 @@ export const pull: (repo: string, skipNotify?: boolean) => void = async (repo: s
             }
         });
     }catch(error: any){
-        logger.error(`Push failed: ${auth.mask(error, cred)}`, true);
+        logger.error(`Pull failed: ${auth.mask(String(error?.message ?? error), cred)}`, true);
     }finally{
         cleanup(temp);
     }
 }
 
-export const push: (repo: string, ignoreBadAuth?: boolean) => Promise<void> = async (repo: string, ignoreBadAuth: boolean = false) => {
+export const push: (repo: string, branch?: string, ignoreBadAuth?: boolean) => Promise<void> = async (repo: string, branch: string = "main", ignoreBadAuth: boolean = false) => {
     if(isNull(repo)) return;
 
     const dist: Distribution = extension.distribution();
@@ -180,13 +181,11 @@ export const push: (repo: string, ignoreBadAuth?: boolean) => Promise<void> = as
 
     const remote: string = parseRepo(repo, cred);
 
-    const branch: string = config.get("branch") ?? "main";
-
     // callback
 
     const gitback: (err: GitError | null) => void = (err: GitError | null) => {
         if(err){
-            logger.error(`Failed to push to ${config.get("repository")}:\n ${auth.mask(err.message, cred)}`, true);
+            logger.error(`Failed to push to ${repo}@${branch}:\n ${auth.mask(err.message, cred)}`, true);
             cleanup(temp);
         }
     };
@@ -195,7 +194,7 @@ export const push: (repo: string, ignoreBadAuth?: boolean) => Promise<void> = as
 
     statusbar.setActive(true);
 
-    logger.info(`Preparing to export settings to ${config.get("repository")}@${branch}`);
+    logger.info(`Preparing to export settings to ${repo}@${branch}`);
     logger.debug(`Git clone ${auth.mask(remote, cred)}`);
     logger.debug(`includeHostnameInCommit: ${config.get("includeHostnameInCommitMessage")}`);
 
@@ -257,7 +256,7 @@ export const push: (repo: string, ignoreBadAuth?: boolean) => Promise<void> = as
                     }
                 }catch(error: any){
                     if(error){
-                        logger.error(`Push failed: ${auth.mask(error, cred)}`, true);
+                        logger.error(`Push failed: ${auth.mask(String(error), cred)}`, true);
                         cleanup(temp);
                     }
                 }
@@ -271,12 +270,12 @@ export const push: (repo: string, ignoreBadAuth?: boolean) => Promise<void> = as
         .push(["-u", "origin", "HEAD"], (err: GitError | null) => {
             gitback(err);
             if(!err){
-                logger.info(`Pushed settings to ${config.get("repository")}@${branch}`, true);
+                logger.info(`Pushed settings to ${repo}@${branch}`, true);
                 cleanup(temp);
             }
         });
     }catch(error: any){
-        logger.error(`Push failed: ${auth.mask(error, cred)}`, true);
+        logger.error(`Push failed: ${auth.mask(String(error?.message ?? error), cred)}`, true);
     }finally{
         cleanup(temp);
     }