diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 8d28cee..a035fe6 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -19,12 +19,16 @@ use crate::error::BadConfig;
 pub struct Config {
     pub sources: Vec<String>,
     pub family_name: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(default)]
+    #[serde(default = "true_")]
     pub build_variable: bool,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub axis_order: Vec<Tag>,
 }
 
+fn true_() -> bool {
+    true
+}
+
 impl Config {
     /// Parse and return a config.yaml file for the provided font source
     pub fn load(config_path: &Path) -> Result<Self, BadConfig> {
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 8c25b77..7292953 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ mod repo_info;
 
 pub use args::Args;
 pub use config::Config;
-pub use error::{BadConfig, LoadRepoError};
-use error::{Error, GitFail, MetadataError, UnwrapOrDie};
+pub use error::{BadConfig, Error, GitFail, LoadRepoError};
+use error::{MetadataError, UnwrapOrDie};
 use metadata::Metadata;
 pub use repo_info::RepoInfo;
 
@@ -329,6 +329,8 @@ fn config_files_from_local_checkout(
     local_repo_dir: &Path,
 ) -> Result<Vec<PathBuf>, ConfigFetchIssue> {
     if local_repo_dir.exists() {
+        // try fetch; but failure is okay
+        let _ = fetch_latest(local_repo_dir);
         // should we always fetch? idk
     } else {
         std::fs::create_dir_all(local_repo_dir).unwrap();
diff --git a/src/metadata.rs b/src/metadata.rs
index 1d3bcd0..a4d1d99 100644
--- a/src/metadata.rs
+++ b/src/metadata.rs
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ impl FromStr for Metadata {
         let repo_url = s
             .find(REPO_KEY)
             .and_then(|pos| extract_litstr(&s[pos + REPO_KEY.len()..]))
+            .map(|s| s.trim_end_matches('/')) // trailing / is not meaningful for a url
             .filter(|s| !s.is_empty())
             .map(str::to_owned);
         Ok(Metadata { name, repo_url })