diff --git a/cmd/args.go b/cmd/args.go
index 5aadcf0..9954435 100644
--- a/cmd/args.go
+++ b/cmd/args.go
@@ -281,18 +281,28 @@ var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "gh-commit",
 	Short: "gh-commit: commit files easily to git using the Github API",
 	Long:  "gh-commit: a CLI tool for committing changes via the Github API, especially useful for working in ephemeral environments.",
-	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-		version, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool("version")
+	PreRunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+		message, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString(MessageFlag.Long)
+		branch, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString(BranchFlag.Long)
+		versionFlag, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool("version")
 
-		if version {
+		if versionFlag {
 			fmt.Printf("%s %s %s\n",
 				color.New(color.FgBlue, color.Bold).Sprint("🔖 gh-commit"),
 				color.New(color.FgGreen).Sprint(VERSION),
 				color.New(color.Faint).Sprint("(CLI tool)"),
 			)
-			return nil
+			os.Exit(0)
+		}
+
+		if message == "" || branch == "" {
+			return fmt.Errorf("--message and --branch are both required flags")
 		}
 
+		return nil
+	},
+	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+
 		path, err := ValidateLocalGit()
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/cmd/execute.go b/cmd/execute.go
index 9ce0e4f..305a89e 100644
--- a/cmd/execute.go
+++ b/cmd/execute.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // VERSION number: changed in CI
-const VERSION = "v0.1.0"
+const VERSION = "v0.1.1"
 
 var rootPath string
 var repo repository.Repository
@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@ func init() {
 		case "stringSlice":
 			rootCmd.Flags().StringSliceP(flag.Long, flag.Short, []string{}, flag.Description)
 		}
-		if flag.Required {
-			_ = rootCmd.MarkFlagRequired(flag.Long)
-		}
 	}
 
 	rootCmd.Flags().BoolP("version", "V", false, "Print current version")