diff --git a/.github/workflows/gds.yaml b/.github/workflows/gds.yaml
index dabd181..7bc4207 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/gds.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/gds.yaml
@@ -41,15 +41,14 @@
       with:
           osscadsuite-version: '2022-09-03' # pin the version, latest one fails to work with caravel
 
-    # pwd debug
-    - name: pwd
-      run: |
-        pwd # /home/runner/work/tinytapeout-mpw7/tinytapeout-mpw7
-
     # fetch the repos
     - name: fetch all
       run: python ./configure.py --clone-all --debug
 
+    # pwd debug
+    - name: show projects
+      run: find projects
+
     # install projects
     - name: configure
       run: python ./configure.py --update-caravel
diff --git a/configure.py b/configure.py
index d9619fe..f94ccb7 100755
--- a/configure.py
+++ b/configure.py
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@
 
             # clone git repos locally & gds artifacts from action build
             if args.clone_all:
-                logging.info(f"cloning & fetching gds for {project}")
                 if filler is False:
+                    logging.info(f"cloning & fetching gds for {project}")
                     project.clone()
                     project.fetch_gds()
 
@@ -133,7 +133,11 @@
 
     def check_num_cells(self):
         num_cells = 0
-        yosys_report = glob.glob(f'{self.local_dir}/runs/wokwi/reports/synthesis/1-synthesis.*0.stat.rpt')[0]  # can't open a file with \ in the path
+        try:
+            yosys_report = glob.glob(f'{self.local_dir}/runs/wokwi/reports/synthesis/1-synthesis.*0.stat.rpt')[0]  # can't open a file with \ in the path
+        except IndexError:
+            logging.warning("couldn't open yosys cell report for cell checking {self}")
+
         with open(yosys_report) as fh:
             for line in fh.readlines():
                 m = re.search(r'Number of cells:\s+(\d+)', line)