diff --git a/general/gochanges.go b/general/gochanges.go
index 10ae505..70ffb6b 100644
--- a/general/gochanges.go
+++ b/general/gochanges.go
@@ -2,29 +2,45 @@ package general
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-"os/exec"
+	"log"
+	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
+	"syscall"
 )
 
 // RunCommand is a simple wrapper to run commands
-func RunCommand(command string, values ...string) string {
+// result is the output of stdout and errCode is the exit code
+func RunCommand(command string, values ...string) (result string, errCode int) {
 	cmd := exec.Command(command, values...)
 	var out bytes.Buffer
 	cmd.Stdout = &out
-	err := cmd.Run()
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+
+	if err := cmd.Start(); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("cmd.Start: %v", err)
 	}
-	return out.String()
+
+	if err := cmd.Wait(); err != nil {
+		if exiterr, ok := err.(*exec.ExitError); ok {
+			if status, ok := exiterr.Sys().(syscall.WaitStatus); ok {
+				errCode = status.ExitStatus()
+				return result, errCode
+			}
+		} else {
+			log.Fatalf("cmd.Wait: %v", err)
+			return result, errCode
+		}
+	}
+
+	result = out.String()
+	return result, errCode
 }
 
 // GetChangedGoFiles returns a list of changed .go files
 // anything else is filtered out
 func GetChangedGoFiles() (result []string) {
-	gitDir := RunCommand("git", "rev-parse", "--git-dir")
-	gitDiff := RunCommand("git", "diff", "--name-only", "--cached", "--diff-filter=ACM")
-	absolutePath := filepath.Dir(gitDir)
+	gitDiff, _ := RunCommand("git", "diff", "--name-only", "--cached", "--diff-filter=ACM")
+	absolutePath := GetGitRoot()
 
 	resultLines := strings.Split(gitDiff, "\n")
 	if resultLines == nil {
@@ -37,3 +53,9 @@ func GetChangedGoFiles() (result []string) {
 	}
 	return result
 }
+
+// GetGitRoot returns the path with the .git directory
+func GetGitRoot() string {
+	gitDir, _ := RunCommand("git", "rev-parse", "--git-dir")
+	return filepath.Dir(gitDir)
+}