diff --git a/deploy_config.py b/deploy_config.py
index b5b32dd..cfa195a 100644
--- a/deploy_config.py
+++ b/deploy_config.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import os
+import logging
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     raise SystemExit("Not meant to be run directly!")
@@ -8,6 +9,9 @@ def _rsync_cmd(dest):
            "'{output}/' '{dest}'")
     return cmd.format(dest=dest, output="{output}")
 
+# configure the logger
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG, format='%(asctime)s %(message)s')
+
 # make sure git does not block giving pw prompts, git 2.3+ only
 os.environ["GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT"] = "0"
 
diff --git a/develop_main.py b/develop_main.py
index ab1f3a7..8ce7199 100755
--- a/develop_main.py
+++ b/develop_main.py
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env python3
 
+import deploy_config
 from pelican_deploy import DeploymentRunner
 import pelican_deploy.webhookbottle
-import deploy_config
 import logging
 
-logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
 
 runners = {name: DeploymentRunner(name, conf)
            for name, conf in deploy_config.RUNNERS.items()}
diff --git a/pelican_deploy/deploy.py b/pelican_deploy/deploy.py
index 3f0fe6b..ec8f8cc 100644
--- a/pelican_deploy/deploy.py
+++ b/pelican_deploy/deploy.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ from collections import namedtuple
 from pelican_deploy.gittool import Repo, log_git_result
 from functools import partial
 from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
+from pelican_deploy.util import exception_logged
 from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
 from threading import RLock
 import sys
@@ -49,8 +50,13 @@ class DeploymentRunner:
         self._build_proc = None
         self._abort = False
         self._build_lock = RLock()
+        self._repo_update_lock = RLock()
 
     def update_build_repository(self):
+        with self._repo_update_lock:
+            self._update_build_repository()
+
+    def _update_build_repository(self):
         repo = Repo(str(self.build_repo_path))
         if not repo.is_repo():
             if self.build_repo_path.is_dir() and \
@@ -110,7 +116,8 @@ class DeploymentRunner:
                 if fut.done():
                     self._futures.remove(fut)
 
-            self._futures.add(self._executor.submit(self.build_blocking))
+            build_func = exception_logged(self.build_blocking, log.error)
+            self._futures.add(self._executor.submit(build_func))
 
     def try_abort_build(self):
         proc = self._build_proc
diff --git a/pelican_deploy/util.py b/pelican_deploy/util.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..16ad02f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pelican_deploy/util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+
+def exception_logged(func, log):
+    def wrapped(*args, **kwargs):
+        try:
+            func(*args, **kwargs)
+        except:
+            log("Caught Exception!", exc_info=True)
+            raise # reraise