diff --git a/app/deploy_system.py b/app/deploy_system.py
index 5b8f424b..d779bef9 100644
--- a/app/deploy_system.py
+++ b/app/deploy_system.py
@@ -20,16 +20,7 @@ import argparse
 from decouple import config
 from python_on_whales import DockerClient
 import click
-
-def include_exclude_check(s, include, exclude):
-    if include == None and exclude == None:
-        return True
-    if include != None:
-        include_list = include.split(",")
-        return s in include_list
-    if exclude != None:
-        exclude_list = exclude.split(",")
-        return s not in exclude_list
+from .util import include_exclude_check
 
 @click.command()
 @click.option('--include', help="only start these components")
diff --git a/app/setup_repositories.py b/app/setup_repositories.py
index 8a4b1217..f595e7dd 100644
--- a/app/setup_repositories.py
+++ b/app/setup_repositories.py
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ def command(ctx, check_only, pull, branches_file):
     verbose = ctx.obj.verbose
     dry_run = ctx.obj.dry_run
 
+    branches = []
+
     if branches_file:
         if verbose:
             print(f"loading branches from: {branches_file}")