diff --git a/patches/compile_lilypond_test.py b/patches/compile_lilypond_test.py
index 25069c8..d4c83d9 100755
--- a/patches/compile_lilypond_test.py
+++ b/patches/compile_lilypond_test.py
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ class AutoCompile():
         else:
             print "Message for you in"
             print self.logfile.filename
-    
 
     def get_head(self):
         os.chdir(self.git_repository_dir)
@@ -100,13 +99,19 @@ class AutoCompile():
             self.commit)
         self.config.save()
 
-    ### actual building
-    def make_directories(self):
+    ### repository handling
+    def cleanup_directories(self):
         if os.path.exists(self.src_build_dir):
             shutil.rmtree(self.src_build_dir)
+
+    def update_git(self):
+        os.chdir(self.git_repository_dir)
+        run("git fetch")
+
+    def make_directories(self, branch_name):
         os.chdir(self.git_repository_dir)
-        cmd = "git checkout-index -a --prefix=%s/ " % (self.src_build_dir)
-        os.system(cmd)
+        run("git branch -f test-%s origin/master" % branch_name)
+        run("git clone -s -b test-%s -o local %s %s" % (branch_name, self.git_repository_dir, self.src_build_dir))
         os.makedirs(self.build_dir)
 
     def runner(self, dirname, command, issue_id=None, name=None):
@@ -127,8 +132,10 @@ class AutoCompile():
         else:
             self.logfile.add_success(command)
 
-    def prep(self, issue_id=None):
-        self.make_directories()
+    def prep_for_rietveld(self, issue_id=None):
+        self.cleanup_directories()
+        self.update_git()
+        self.make_directories('rietveld')
 
     def configure(self, issue_id=None):
         self.runner(self.src_build_dir, "./autogen.sh --noconfigure",
@@ -143,10 +150,11 @@ class AutoCompile():
         cmd = "git apply %s %s" % (reverse, filename)
         returncode = os.system(cmd)
         if returncode != 0:
-            self.logfile.failed_step("patch", filename)
-            raise Exception("Failed patch: %s" % filename)
-        self.logfile.add_success("applied patch %s" % filename)
+            self.logfile.failed_step("patch %s" % reverse, filename)
+            raise Exception("Failed patch %s %s" % (reverse, filename))
+        self.logfile.add_success("applied patch %s %s" % (reverse, filename))
 
+    ### actual building
     def build(self, quick_make = False, issue_id=None):
         self.runner(self.build_dir, "nice make clean "
             + self.config.get("compiling", "extra_make_options"),
@@ -275,7 +283,7 @@ def main(patches = None):
     else:
         autoCompile = AutoCompile()
         #autoCompile.debug()
-        autoCompile.prep()
+        autoCompile.prep_for_rietveld()
         autoCompile.configure()
         autoCompile.build(quick_make=True)
         autoCompile.regtest_baseline()
@@ -285,19 +293,24 @@ def main(patches = None):
             title = patch[2]
             print "Trying %i with %s" % (issue_id, patch_filename)
             try:
-                autoCompile.configure()
                 autoCompile.patch(patch_filename)
+                autoCompile.configure()
                 autoCompile.build(quick_make=True, issue_id=issue_id)
                 autoCompile.regtest_check(issue_id)
                 autoCompile.copy_regtests(issue_id)
                 autoCompile.make_regtest_show_script(issue_id, title)
+            except Exception as err:
+                print "Problem with issue %i" % issue_id
+                print err
+            try:
                 # reverse stuff
-                autoCompile.patch(patch_filename, reverse=True)
                 autoCompile.regtest_clean(issue_id)
                 autoCompile.clean(issue_id)
+                autoCompile.patch(patch_filename, reverse=True)
             except Exception as err:
-                print "Problem with issue %i" % issue_id
-                print err
+                print "Problem cleaning up after issue %i" % issue_id
+                print "Patchy cannot reliably continue."
+                raise err
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":