diff --git a/merlin/sync/process.go b/merlin/sync/process.go
index c4b3514..86678d1 100644
--- a/merlin/sync/process.go
+++ b/merlin/sync/process.go
@@ -99,12 +99,6 @@ func startRepoSync(repo *config.Repo) {
 		repo.Logger.Debug("Changes found; will attempt to sync")
 	}
 
-	args := getSyncCommand(repo)
-	if len(args) == 0 {
-		repo.Logger.Error("zero length command given for sync")
-		return
-	}
-
 	// clear the rsync log file before starting the sync
 	if repo.RsyncLogFile != "" {
 		err := os.Truncate(repo.RsyncLogFile, 0)
@@ -113,6 +107,12 @@ func startRepoSync(repo *config.Repo) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	args := getSyncCommand(repo)
+	if len(args) == 0 {
+		repo.Logger.Error("zero length command given for sync")
+		return
+	}
+
 	ch := spawnProcess(repo, args)
 	if ch == nil {
 		// spawnSyncProcess will have already logged error
diff --git a/merlin/sync/sync.go b/merlin/sync/sync.go
index fae9013..df36195 100644
--- a/merlin/sync/sync.go
+++ b/merlin/sync/sync.go
@@ -198,10 +198,20 @@ func cscSyncDebian(repo *config.Repo) []string {
 	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, baseFlags|excludeTmp|ipv4)...)
 	args = append(args, buildRsyncDaemonHost(repo)+"/pool/", buildDownloadDir(repo)+"/pool/")
 
-	args = append(args, []string{
-		"&&", "nice", "rsync", "-rlHtvp",
+	ch := spawnProcess(repo, args)
+	if ch == nil {
+		// spawnSyncProcess will have already logged error
+		return nil
+	}
+	cmd := <-ch
+	if cmd.ProcessState.ExitCode() != 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	args = []string{
+		"nice", "rsync", "-rlHtvp",
 		"--exclude", filepath.Join("project/trace", config.Conf.Hostname),
-	}...)
+	}
 	args = append(args, addConditionalFlags(repo, baseFlags|excludeTmp|ipv4|delayUpdatesDeleteAfter)...)
 	args = append(args, buildRsyncDaemonHost(repo), buildDownloadDir(repo))