diff --git a/project.py b/project.py
index 89f94f2..5a143a7 100644
--- a/project.py
+++ b/project.py
@@ -706,10 +706,9 @@
           # commits are not yet merged upstream.  We do not want
           # to rewrite the published commits so we punt.
           #
-          syncbuf.info(self,
-                       "branch %s is published but is now %d commits behind",
-                       branch.name,
-                       len(upstream_gain))
+          syncbuf.fail(self,
+                       "branch %s is published (but not merged) and is now %d commits behind"
+                       % (branch.name, len(upstream_gain)))
         return
       elif pub == head:
         # All published commits are merged, and thus we are a
@@ -728,7 +727,7 @@
     last_mine = None
     cnt_mine = 0
     for commit in local_changes:
-      commit_id, committer_email = commit.split(' ', 2)
+      commit_id, committer_email = commit.split(' ', 1)
       if committer_email == self.UserEmail:
         last_mine = commit_id
         cnt_mine += 1
@@ -1132,7 +1131,10 @@
         dst = os.path.join(dotgit, name)
         if relink:
           os.remove(dst)
-        os.symlink(relpath(src, dst), dst)
+        if os.path.islink(dst) or not os.path.exists(dst):
+          os.symlink(relpath(src, dst), dst)
+        else:
+          raise GitError('cannot overwrite a local work tree')
       except OSError, e:
         if e.errno == errno.EPERM:
           raise GitError('filesystem must support symlinks')