diff --git a/bin/cli b/bin/cli
index d14d12fcbf..caff9af846 100755
--- a/bin/cli
+++ b/bin/cli
@@ -50,12 +50,16 @@ async function updatePackageJson (packageJsonPath) {
 }
 
 async function initialiseGitRepo () {
-  try {
-    return exec('git init && git add -A . && git -c "user.email=gov.uk-prototype@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk" -c "user.name=GOV.UK Prototype Kit" commit -am "Created prototype kit."')
-  } catch (e) {
-    console.log('error initialising git repo')
-    console.log(e.message)
+  const whichGitResult = []
+  await exec('which git', {}, data => whichGitResult.push(data.toString()))
+  if (('' + whichGitResult[0]).trim() === '') {
+    console.log('git not present.')
+    return
   }
+  await exec('git init && git add -A .')
+  const overrideParams = '-c "user.email=gov.uk-prototype@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk" -c "user.name=GOV.UK Prototype Kit"'
+  const commitMessage = 'Created prototype kit.'
+  await exec(`git commit -am "${commitMessage}" || git ${overrideParams} commit -am "${commitMessage}"`)
 }
 
 function usage () {
diff --git a/lib/exec.js b/lib/exec.js
index b4971069b4..c560b55647 100644
--- a/lib/exec.js
+++ b/lib/exec.js
@@ -2,36 +2,44 @@ const { spawn } = require('cross-spawn')
 const colors = require('ansi-colors')
 
 module.exports = {
-  exec: (command, options = {}, stdout) => {
+  exec: (command, options = {}, stdout) => new Promise(function (resolve, reject) {
     const errorOutput = []
-    const child = spawn(command, [], { shell: true, ...options })
+    try {
+      const child = spawn(command, [], { shell: true, ...options })
 
-    if (child.stdout) {
-      child.stdout.on('data', function (data) {
-        if (stdout) {
-          stdout(data)
-        }
-      })
-    }
-    if (child.stderr) {
-      child.stderr.on('data', function (data) {
-        errorOutput.push(data)
-      })
-    }
+      if (child.stdout) {
+        child.stdout.on('data', function (data) {
+          if (stdout) {
+            stdout(data)
+          }
+        })
+      }
+      if (child.stderr) {
+        child.stderr.on('data', function (data) {
+          errorOutput.push(data)
+        })
+      }
 
-    return new Promise(function (resolve, reject) {
       child.on('close', function (code) {
         if (code === 0) {
           resolve(true)
         } else {
           if (errorOutput.length > 0) {
-            console.error(colors.red(errorOutput.join('\n')))
+            const formattedErrorOutput = errorOutput.join('\n')
+            console.error(colors.red(formattedErrorOutput))
+            reject(new Error(formattedErrorOutput))
+          } else {
+            reject(new Error(`Exit code was ${code}`))
           }
-          reject(new Error(`Exit code was ${code}`))
         }
       })
-    })
-  },
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.log('caught error - ignoring for now (while experimenting)')
+      console.log(e.message)
+      console.log(e)
+      reject(new Error('caught in try catch'))
+    }
+  }),
   spawn: (command, args, options = {}) => {
     const child = spawn(command, args, { ...options })