diff --git a/.circleci/check-commit.sh b/.circleci/check-commit.sh
index f79bec5a..42b4a093 100755
--- a/.circleci/check-commit.sh
+++ b/.circleci/check-commit.sh
@@ -128,19 +128,25 @@ search
 # turn off verbose printing to make this easier to read
 set +x
 
-# print all result strings
+# print 0's
 for str in "${all_names[@]}";
 do
-    echo "$str"
+    if [ 0 = $(echo "$str" | awk '{print$3}') ]; then
+        echo "$str"
+    fi
 done
 
-# check if there was a non-zero return code
+echo ""
+
+# check if there was a non-zero return code and print 1's
+EXIT=0
 for str in "${all_names[@]}";
 do
     if [ ! 0 = $(echo "$str" | awk '{print$3}') ]; then
-        exit 1
+        echo "$str"
+        EXIT=1
     fi
 done
 
 echo "Done checking all submodules"
-
+exit $EXIT
diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 3393395e..b7081658 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ commands:
             - add_ssh_keys:
                 fingerprints:
                     - "3e:c3:02:5b:ed:64:8c:b7:b0:04:43:bc:83:43:73:1e"
+                    - "32:d6:89:d2:97:fa:db:de:a8:2d:2a:f2:70:dd:80:89"
             - checkout
 
     setup-tools:
diff --git a/.circleci/defaults.sh b/.circleci/defaults.sh
index 1669245a..a9a56b74 100755
--- a/.circleci/defaults.sh
+++ b/.circleci/defaults.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 copy () {
-    rsync -avzp -e 'ssh' $1 $2
+    rsync -avzp -e 'ssh' --exclude '.git' $1 $2
 }
 
 run () {
diff --git a/.circleci/do-rtl-build.sh b/.circleci/do-rtl-build.sh
index ed233df1..a13412e3 100755
--- a/.circleci/do-rtl-build.sh
+++ b/.circleci/do-rtl-build.sh
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ run "export RISCV=\"$TOOLS_DIR\"; \
 
 read -a keys <<< ${grouping[$1]}
 
+# need to set the PATH to use the new verilator (with the new verilator root)
 for key in "${keys[@]}"
 do
     run "export RISCV=\"$TOOLS_DIR\"; \